Walking Together
by Zelha
Summary: Following the same themes as the other collections, it’s now up to Gaara to figure out how to handle an arranged marriage with a pink-haired medic that somehow, he doesn’t mind to have around, bad temper and all. His siblings are all too amused by this.
1. Theme 1

**Walking Together**

**[GaaSaku]** Following the same themes as the other collections, it's now up to Gaara to figure out how to handle an arranged marriage with a pink-haired medic that somehow, he doesn't mind to have around, bad temper and all. His siblings are all too amused by this.

**Disclaimer: **No, not mine. STFU.

-

**Theme 1: Meeting the Family**

-

To say that Sunagakure no Sato was a village flagellated under the merciless rays of the sun was an understatement, Sakura concluded with a sigh as she made her way towards the exit of her private quarters. Granted, it felt good to be regarded with so much respect – with her being the Kazekage's bride and all – but she wished for some familiarity once in a while.

This day marked the end of her first week of her permanent stay in the Village Hidden in the Sand. She had been received by the Sand Elders with great delight, because she had been the one that voluntarily chose to move – and marry – to the great Godaime Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara.

Her arrival with her team had been celebrated by the entire village; she and Naruto were especially cheered because of their participation in the mission to rescue their beloved leader. Sakura had also been regarded with great deference, due to her almost miraculous performance when saving Kankurou's life from certain death after he was poisoned.

Gaara received them with crisp civility, and had not shown any discomfort when he sat next to her when the marriage ceremony rolled in. He also extended a hand to allow her to sign the scroll first, in a cold display that deep inside, made her feel as if she were sealing her fate.

It wasn't as if Gaara hadn't been painstakingly polite, even a bit haughty, towards her, during the last days. She had been left to her own devices from day one, forgoing the embarrassment of the wedding night for an early night's sleep. Her room was across the hall from Gaara's, and he hadn't even tried to enter. Thankfully, they shared the large apartment with his siblings, so the discomfort was somewhat quelled by their presence.

Something told her that red-haired Kazekage was one of two things: he was asexual, or he played for the other team. Sakura hadn't been really amused with her Inner persona's conclusions.

The day after the wedding she received the tailor who fitted Gaara's robes in order to prepare her own. Given the nature that surrounded the village, it was only logical that she adopted their customs in garments as soon as possible. She could get away with her shorts and skirt in the lush forests of Konoha, but under the scorching heat in Suna, wearing such clothing was like begging for a sunburn.

However, she was given the liberty to change the severe style in the clothes – she had to wear the robes when meeting with the elders, but the rest of the time she was allowed to dress as she pleased. This allowed her to brainstorm about the best way to don her garments without hampering the movement she needed as a kunoichi.

That was one of her conditions upon her agreement to this arranged marriage: she was not going to give up her life as a ninja, and as a medic. She fought tooth and nail against the Konoha elders, who thought it was best for her to remain under the Kazekage's sandy protection. Tsunade had been as livid as her, but in the end the Sand Elder – sent to work out the arrangement in Gaara's behalf – had agreed wholeheartedly with her demands. After all, Suna remembered how well Sakura had acted to help them. Ebizo, Chiyo's brother, had been the one who put her name up for consideration as Gaara's bride. He remembered how gentle the pink-haired kunoichi had been with his sister and how sad she looked during the funeral.

Ebizo told her he could see that she had a wonderful heart hidden by that spunky, fiery temper and those violent fists of hers, and this assured her upon her arrival at the meeting. At least she had someone in the Sand Council who worked to her favor.

Now, wearing long, black pants and her trademark red shirt under a white trench coat that showed her status as the Kazehime and Suna's head medic, she stepped out to the sweltering, bustling streets of her new home. The villagers always gave her a wide berth during her strolls, some of them even bowing at her as she passed by. This never failed to make her uncomfortable, especially since she wasn't the one that should receive those attentions, but their leader. She was just Haruno Sakura, now Sabaku in name, but even then, she felt she hadn't changed from the Sakura that lived in Konoha.

She asked herself if she ever was going to get used to such deference paid to her as she made her way toward the restaurant and smiled at the elderly people who greeted her.

Probably not.

"Sakura!"

A happy exclamation from Kankurou greeted her as she walked into the restaurant. Her brother-in-law was sitting next to Temari, whose ever-present smirk was in place. Truly, they had helped her greatly during her moving and settling in Suna, and Sakura had to admit that having them around was refreshing. They knew the real _her_, who she was and how she grew up.

"Hey guys," she greeted them as she took a seat, "Thank you for the invitation. I was hoping to spend some time with you."

"No problem," Kankurou said as he waved his hand to the waitress, "it's not everyday we can invite our sister-in-law to lunch."

"Especially when said imoutou is so busy with her duties as Kazehime," Temari piped in, grinning. She laughed as she saw Sakura's scowl. "Relax, Sakura-chan. You can bitch at us for as long as you want if that helps you cope with this situation."

"I'm not feeling bitchy today, but I'll take you up on the offer one of these days," she shot back as her scowl diminished slightly. "It's... it's just that..."

"You didn't expect so much fanfare, did you?" Temari asked knowingly. Sakura nodded with a sigh. "It's okay; it's just that the people felt reassured that Gaara is not alone anymore. Some of them – especially his fangirls – are still crying rivers over the whole matter, but it's nothing _you_ can't handle."

Sakura rolled her eyes blatantly, ignoring the blonde's taunt. "I know, I've noticed a few glares since I got here. I can't believe that _he_, of all people, has rabid fangirls."

"I thought Uchiha had a fanclub as well," Kankurou sneered. "I must say I'm jealous of my little brother, he gets all the hotties for himself," he winked at Sakura, who lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

"Get your act together, Kankurou, or I'll poison your sake," she threatened grumpily. He just laughed, knowing that Sakura could not ever hurt him. With poison, at least.

"How's the hospital?" Temari asked as the waitress left after taking their orders, "are the nurses giving you a hard time?"

"Nah, they know I have the power to fire them if I find out they're slacking off," Sakura answered after a much needed sip of water.

"I think it's your reputation as a poison expert that keeps them in line," Kankurou joked, "but it's great to have you around, Sakura. I never got to thank you properly for saving my ass back in that time."

"Likewise," she smiled. "The elders have been demanding that I learn Sand's history as soon as possible, along with the laws and stuff. I feel as if I'm back in the academy."

"I can lend you my books. They should be somewhere in a box at home," Temari offered. "They should help you with the history of Suna."

"Thank you, Temari, I think it would help me greatly," Sakura nodded gratefully, "I'll do everything I can to learn everything fast; so I'll have to ask you to be patient with me."

"Please, Sakura," Kankurou said with a smirk. "The ones asking you to be patient are us, especially when you have to deal with our brother. I know he's not the easiest to be around, but we thought we should let you know this arrangement has been as... unnerving for him as much as it has for you."

"Somehow I kinda doubt that," Sakura snorted, waving her chopsticks, "he avoids me like the plague. I think I'm not really his type."

"Didn't I tell you my brother doesn't know how to deal with women?" Temari asked with a laugh. "His social skills are akin to none! He's a great leader, but mostly because he gives the orders and everyone follows them without complaints. He works hard, that Gaara," she added with a fond look in her eyes, surprising Sakura in the process because she didn't expect Sabaku no Temari to show such emotion regarding her former psycho-murderer brother of hers. "He agreed to the marriage to someone from Konoha because he knew Naruto and the Hokage would send someone fitting for him, but we could see how unsettled he was. I have to admit I was surprised when we found out it was you, of all people... but I'm grateful, Sakura. I hope you give Gaara a chance. Despite everything, he's a good man."

Sakura didn't know what to say after such insight from the usually tight-lipped, badass Temari. She nodded, a smile blossoming on her face.

"Thank you for your trust, guys. I promise I'll be a good wife for him, if he lets me."

"Give time to time, Sakura. He'll get used to your presence soon enough."

"Oi, Sakura..." Kankurou piped in with a thoughtful look. "Aren't you... you know, afraid of Gaara? Of what he was, back then?"

"Honestly?" Sakura tilted her head with an amused smile as she picked another morsel from her plate. "No."

"How so?"

"It's... difficult to say. I know he tried to kill me, but then again many people had tried that, so it's unfair for me to say I condemn him for what happened in the past. Naruto forgave him, and it's the least I can do."

"...You're weird, Sakura-chan."

She laughed. "Look it from my side, Kankurou. Naruto tried to kill me once, under the influence of... you know what," she lowered her voice, "I forgave him because he's my brother, and I know he wasn't exactly _there_ when he lashed out. The same principle applies to Gaara, see?"

"How much do you know about the Shukaku?" Kankuro fired back.

"As much as I know about the Kyuubi," she answered truthfully. "Ebizo-jiji gave me a bunch of scrolls about the One Tail, and I'm pretty much sure that Gaara wasn't really thinking straight when he attacked me when we were kids."

Temari and Kankurou stared at her. Sakura blinked several times, puzzled.

"What?"

The Sand kunoichi grinned, seemingly pleased. "I'm glad you're here with us, Sakura. I promise we'll be there for you when you need us."

Kankurou scratched his head and nodded his assent. Sakura beamed at them.

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**A/N:** Manolito strikes again! He really didn't want to leave me be without forcing me to plot this. I have to admit I'm having as much fun with this one as I did with Crimson Genii back in the time.

No Gaara this time, but they gossiped so much about him that his presence was somewhat felt, right?

Much love to my beta Rapturesrevenge for looking over this, and thank you guys for reading!


	2. Theme 2

**Walking Together  
Theme 2: Meeting an Ex**

-

It was almost midnight when the Kazekage finally decided to return home.

It was most upsetting, he reflected as he walked briskly towards the sprawling apartment building. A few days ago, Gaara received a message from his sister saying that she and Kankurou were having lunch with his wife. In that same message, Temari asked if he wished to join them.

He didn't leave his office until two in the morning.

Truly, it wasn't that he wished to be spiteful toward his wife. He just didn't know how to handle _her_.

Granted, Haruno Sakura was the best choice – he inwardly agreed to Ebizo's suggestion as soon as he heard it, because the other woman Konoha offered was...well, let's say that he knew that that particular kunoichi would _die_ if she was forced to leave her precious and always admired blond nin – and because Gaara knew how strong the pink-haired medic-nin was.

After all, she had saved his brother, and that was worth a lot of points in his book.

However, her fiery spirit was something that baffled him. Someone that wore her emotions on a sleeve for all to see wasn't really a common thing in Sunagakure, especially under the ruling of the Fourth Kazekage. His father had been the epitome of stern leadership in his time, and once he believed in the principles he'd been taught, but after he met Naruto and his friends, those principles crumbled like a sand castle beaten by a strong desert breeze.

Remembering those genin years, he realized that his emotionless eyes had fixed for a moment on that pink head for more than one reason. Her eyes were clear jade, just like his. Her skin was unblemished with the care of a loving, happy childhood.

But the Sakura he encountered when he woke up from that death dream – thanks to Chiyo's sacrifice – was exponentially different that the little crying girl he had met before. For instance, her eyes had changed to the most arresting shade of emeralds, as if attesting the changes she had enduring during those years. Her skin had scars, marks that told the observer that she had fought with everything she had to make her way to the accomplishment of her goals.

Her smile, however... that was something that remained unchanged.

Back then, Gaara had noticed her smiling as she exited the flower shop with that blonde friend of hers, before the odds pitched them against each other. His eyes had detailed how her eyes had squinted a little as she directed an exasperated glance at her friend, but soon that smile changed to a full blossomed one as she turned her head and saw someone walking down the streets.

It had been the Uchiha, the one that triggered his demon to come out to play during their fight.

Deep inside, Gaara found out that he was less than amused at that the sight of that smile. He felt cheated, back then, to see such happy devotion in those sunny features.

Especially when he learned that said Uchiha had defected the village, leaving her unconscious on a stone bench.

He concluded it was a good thing he wasn't the one chasing the dark-haired fugitive directly, or he might have crippled him, to say the least, in retribution. To betray such trust, and so blatantly, was unforgivable.

The Sakura he knew back then was weak and emotional; nonetheless, the Sakura he met after his rescue was... still weak and emotional, but with an aura of confidence her younger self did not had.

And what was most baffling to him was, that among her weaknesses, she had found her strength.

It was impressive, to say the least, when he watched Sakura reduce that boulder to dust to make room for the assembly that carried Chiyo's body back to the village. She looked terrible, clothes torn and dirty, gashes and scratches everywhere, but even so...

She had been a sight to behold.

This is what confused Gaara greatly, much to his irritation.

The Wind's Shadow sighed softly as he entered the abode he shared with his family. Kankurou wasn't home, probably out drinking. A look in the living room told him that Temari was also absent – the place where she put her fan was vacant – so he figured his siblings were getting drunk together.

A muffled noise stopped him in his way towards his room. It was something he had never heard... and it was something that came from inside Sakura's room.

Forehead wrinkling in impatience, he stepped towards his room when another sound broke the silence of the apartment.

It was a whimper.

For the life of him, he didn't know what possessed him to reach for the doorknob and open her door, but he did. The wooden panel opened soundlessly, revealing the alcove to his dark-accustomed eyes.

She had done a satisfactory job in arranging her personal effects in the room, he mused absently as he ran his eyes through the stuff lying on the vanity and the desk. Everything was organized, and some photos were taped on the mirror. One was a picture with her and her blonde kunoichi friend in Konoha; another one was of her with Naruto and a dark-haired pale guy that had a horrible smile; another one with her new team, this time including the Copy Ninja and another jounin he didn't know.

There were two more pictures, but these ones were framed. One of them was of her in her younger years, with the Uchiha and Uzumaki glaring at each other and the Copy Ninja with his hands on each boy's head as she illuminated the entire photo with her happy smile. The other one was of her and him, taken after the wedding ceremony.

It was the only picture she had that her smile seemed to be forced. He looked as cold and arrogant as ever, but she looked uncomfortable, standing next to him in that beautiful pearly kimono.

Something within him twinged, recalling how meek she had behaved during the ceremony. Skittish, almost. It was as if she didn't know how to address him.

Gaara was suddenly pulled out of his reverie when he heard another sound. He turned toward the bed, where Sakura lay. She was covered demurely with the blanket, but he didn't notice.

Her face was gleaming with perspiration, and the rapid movements behind her closed eyes made him realize that she was having a nightmare. He had seen this phenomenon a few times, when Temari and Kankurou were younger. They hadn't explained this to him, but he learned to identify the signs.

"Stop..." he heard her whispering in despair, "stop it, Sasuke... you're hurting him!"

Her frantic calling elicited the weirdest reaction in him. His blood started to boil in utter anger.

"Sasuke, no... don't hurt him! Naruto!"

Gaara froze on the spot, his anger stilling.

Sakura shook her head, but the nightmare refused to release her. She started to cry in her sleep, silent tears shining under the moonlight as she tried to reach out to her former teammates.

"No! Don't kill my brother!"

Gaara's anger deflated entirely. It seemed that her fear for Naruto's safety ran deep within her subconscious, otherwise she wouldn't be dreaming about...

"Damn it, stupid bastard! I'll _kill_ you if you touch him!"

The red-haired Kazekage relaxed, realizing that the Uchiha's hold on her feelings had been severed. He realized that Sakura had matured as much on the inside as she did on the outside.

Truly, she had been a good choice.

He froze next to the vanity when she moved her head suddenly without waking, eyebrows pinched in anger at the happenings of her bad dream.

Something snapped inside the former Shukaku vessel then. He made is way towards her slowly, his sharp eyes noting that her tears had stopped and her features were settled in irritation.

His hand rose slowly, as if it had life on its own, reaching out to touch her face as she started to breathe shortly, signaling another psychological fight against her nightmare.

As soon as his fingertips touched her cheek, he noticed that her skin was soft under his rough fingers, damp with her tears and the cold sweat. He also noticed that his touch had a soothing effect on her. Sakura breathed deeply at the contact, eyes still closed to him and to the world, finally released from the dreadful dream and falling into a deep, restful slumber.

To say that Gaara was surprised and fascinated with this unconscious reaction was an understatement. No one, _no one_ had relaxed under his touch, _ever_.

What a strange, and... intriguing phenomenon.

He did not stay. As he closed the door softly behind him, he felt that his confusion towards his Kazehime had been quelled for the time being... but new questions were being asked inside his analytical mind.

Perhaps it was time to observe her more closely, he concluded as he entered his room.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Gaara, you're an adorable dork. -hides from his annoyed sand-

No, seriously, this is really fun to write, haha. My apologies in advance if you feel Gaara was OOC, but I have my reasons to make him act like this. Let's say that this collection is set years after his rescue mission -no Akatsuki nuke in Konoha though- and this time had allowed Gaara to grow up and mature, giving him the insight he needs to observe and analyze emotions when he sees them. He's not as social-retarded as Sai, however, but being Kazekage for several years allowed him to get used to people, somehow.

As always, much love to my overworked beta, Rapturesrevenge! XD Thanks for reading!


	3. Theme 3

**Walking Together  
Theme 3: Forgetting an important date**

-

"These are the last reports for Team Delta, Kazekage-sama," his assistant said as he placed a few scrolls on his desk, "also, I got a note from the hospital. It seems that Sakura-sama is busy with a Code Blue, so her assistant sent a message to let you know."

Gaara observed the village from his balcony, and did not turn around. He nodded wordlessly to the man behind him.

"I will return to my duties now, Gaara-sama."

Alone in his office, the Godaime Kazekage pondered the news. It seemed that Sakura had forgotten their plans for dinner that evening.

She was visibly shocked, to say the least, when, over breakfast, he flatly said they should get together for dinner. Temari smirked wickedly, and Kankurou looked as bewildered as the Kazehime. However, Sakura accepted his proposal once he'd spoken of his intention to include his siblings. He knew she would be mortified with nervousness if she was to be alone with Gaara on an outing, so he devised his plan carefully.

Temari saw through his machinations, however, and was the first to agree to the plan. It had been a while, as she pointed out from behind her cup of coffee, since Gaara spent time with his family. It would be a wonderful time to be together, she said.

Kankurou agreed with a tilted head, still baffled by Gaara's odd initiative. It hadn't been the first time he had suggested for them to spend time together, but it was the first time since he and Sakura got married.

Meanwhile, the pink-haired Kazehime had stared at her husband in surprise. She hadn't expected him to suggest such a thing. He stared back, not blinking, and he noticed the way the emotions in Sakura's eyes changed from surprised to curious and finally settled on what appeared to be a mixture of chagrin and shyness. Her mortification deepened, evidenced by a rosy tint in her cheeks, when Temari noticed and began to tease her. Of course, Temari's reaction to this blush was to tease Sakura further, to which Sakura responded grouchily. It wasn't particularly significant, but these involuntary reactions from Sakura were engraved in Gaara's memory.

During the day, he had recalled how her eyes had lowered when she realized she had been staring. Those emerald darkened in embarrassment, but she agreed to the outing nevertheless.

But now, at dinnertime, she was still locked up inside the hospital.

Maybe it was time to surprise her once more by going to her workplace. After all, he needed to check on everything to make sure she was performing her duties as she should. She was in charge of supervising the processes and workings in maintaining the wellbeing and restoration of his shinobi force.

He was the Kazekage, in any case.

His decision made, he stepped away from his desk and strode out of his office in his usual dark attire, white robe forgotten where it hung over the back of his chair as he nodded to his confused assistant. He left the tower without looking back.

Making his way towards the hospital, he noted that the sun had set a while ago, and the cold winds that were the trademark of his country were starting to rage on the dwindling streets. Children were called back by their parents to the warmth and safety of their homes, and men and women were walking back to their lodgings huddled together, fighting down shivers from the exposure to the chilly drafts.

Sunagakure's General Hospital was large, part of the rebuilding project he sponsored as soon as he took up his father's mantle as Kazekage. He understood the need for optimal medical facilities, and he agreed to reform and expand the building in one of his first displays as the leader of the village.

The Elders had been quite satisfied with this decision until they saw the expenditure of said project. But Gaara wasn't going to sit through a discussion about finances. In the end, the Elders were forced to relent and concede to their Kazekage's will.

He entered the hall briskly, as was his wont; he noted that the nurses were working diligently at their stations. However, it wasn't his intention to ask for his wife. Reaching out with his senses, he allowed a trickle of his sand to escape from his gourd. The grains sprayed in all directions, searching for the one he was looking for.

He found her in the third floor.

Nodding to the nurses, he made his way towards the stairs, leaving behind a whole team of medical specialists wearing the same perplexed face his own assistant had.

Following the suggestions of the head medics, he had given them what they wanted in the operating rooms, such as high windows to allow people to observe the procedures, and to learn how and what to do in every case.

Sakura was in one of such operating rooms, Gaara noted immediately when he entered the observation area. Three med-students were huddled together in front of one of the windows, watching the happenings inside the room closely. Turning his eyes, he found the scene rather... interesting.

Sakura had changed out of her usual clothes, having discarded them for a set of blue scrubs. She stood between two tables, a patient laying atop each one. A few medics and nurses were tending to these obviously heavily injured nin, judging from the blood that dripped from the tables to the floor.

"Sensei, the vitals are rapidly dropping," Gaara heard one of the nurses say.

"Sensei, the patient's heart rate is decreasing."

"Sakura-sensei, what should we do now?"

"Alright," she began in a sure voice that made her nervous team snap to attention. "We are going to calm down now. The lives of these two shinobi are in our hands, and we're going to heal them calmly and efficiently. If you feel you're not up to the task, please leave the immediate premises and just take notes."

Her team nodded collectively, their resolve hardening as their fear left their eyes. She smiled softly and continued, as she placed a hand on each wounded shinobi's chest.

"I'll keep them stable as you disinfect the wounds with the antidote solution and sew the flesh. We'll need to do this quickly, to avoid the poison from spreading to other areas. Ready? On my count: one, two, three!"

Her husband observed how her hands glowed with green chakra, the color so similar to the shade of her eyes when she was a genin. The medics started pouring a liquid in the patients' wounds, working feverishly under her sure, capable orders.

"Nami, remember to treat his face as well. He has a nasty gash that needs to be stitched. We can heal the wound later, if he doesn't want a scar."

"Why wouldn't he? He would be deformed if he doesn't," piped in one of the observers near Gaara.

Sakura didn't even blink when she heard the student's voice. "You would be surprised of how many shinobi like to wear their battle scars," she said dryly. "I've seen one or two that don't care about physical appearance; their scars show people how badass they are on the battlefield."

The operating room thrummed with the soft giggles of her team and her observers. Gaara leaned on the wall, careful not to miss a thing.

"What about you, sensei? Do you wear your battle scars?" asked a curious nurse. Sakura smirked and closed her eyes, concentrating on her task.

"Several of them, in fact," she answered, "I don't think our profession is about being pretty. We are kunoichi as well as medics, aren't we? I've been in life-threatening situations, and I'm proud of what I am."

Gaara found himself staring at his wife intently. He had wondered about this for years: why would a little girl with no skills follow the ninja way?

"My nindo was always about protecting and cherishing my loved ones," he heard her say as the team started sewing the injuries quickly and efficiently. "You would be surprised of how pathetically weak I was as a kid. In some ways, I still am."

"Oh come on, Sakura-sensei," another nurse said with an admonishing tone. She chuckled lightly, leaning her head back to allow her to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "I find that hard to believe. You're a natural healer."

"I didn't know that back then," she said, heaving a sigh. "I was such a crybaby when I was a genin I almost quit, I felt so useless. But my teammates always strove forward with so much determination and passion that I couldn't help but trying to keep up with them... but I never could. It was only when I met Tsunade-shishou, the Godaime Hokage, that I found my true path."

She was absolutely right, he agreed inwardly. She thrived under the Slug Princess's guidance that nowadays _she_ was a force to be reckoned with. It wasn't because she was the Kyuubi vessel's teammate, or because she studied under the great Copy Ninja, but for her own achievements. The redheaded man ignored her third teammate. He wasn't worth the time of day.

Gaara didn't know if his Kazehime knew, but Kiri and Ame had her listed in their Bingo Books as the _Steel Blossom_. This was another reason to be grateful to have her at his side, but he had known for years about her development.

"And what about coming here, Sakura-sensei," one of the students near him asked. "Are you happy with us here?"

The pink-haired medic smiled, a soft smile so open and sincere that her husband could only stare. "Yes, I am. Thank you for having me here, ladies and gentlemen. It's an honor for someone like me, a stranger from Konoha, to be allowed to share knowledge with you."

Everyone in the operating room smiled widely at the honest statement of their Kazehime. She was truly happy to be there, that he could see, working to bring some good to Suna.

Her new village, her new home.

Gaara felt something akin to pride flare within his chest. Truly, to have her honoring his people like this, with such sincerity, such humbleness, it struck a chord deep in him.

"Everything is set! The patients are stable, Sakura-sensei!"

"Heart rates and vitals strong and leveled, sensei!"

"We can start cleaning and bandaging, afterwards we'll start the chakra healings!"

Gaara stood straight when he saw her hands trembling. Sakura opened her eyes, showing how unfocused they were.

"Good job, everybody," she whispered, blinking. "We saved them."

And with that, she started to fall, only to be caught gently in a pair of strong arms.

The medical team and the observers' mouths fell open in surprise. "Ka-kazekage-sama!" a few exclaimed.

Gaara nodded in greeting to his people. "Please continue the procedures outlined by protocol. My wife needs rest now."

One of the nurses walked over to him to check Sakura's condition. After a moment, the nurse nodded solemnly. "Her chakra levels are very low. It must have been taxing to keep two patients stabilized for the duration of the procedures. We apologize, Gaara-sama. It was our fault."

The team bowed low at their leader, but he shook his head.

"I must ask for you to keep an eye on her from now on. She does not know her limits when working. It is not your fault she is so stubborn in her adherence to her nindo."

The head nurse smiled wryly. "I give you my word, Kazekage-sama. We'll take care of her."

"Good," he approved, as he exited the operating room with his precious charge in his arms.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Something about Gaara being a watcher struck me right. He always observed people (because he couldn't sleep, maybe? haha) and it really isn't so hard to believe he still keeps that habit. He's starting to see Sakura under a new light, seeing her interact with the Suna people with so much optimism and integrity, working hard to be accepted by them. It has to be appreciated, somehow. Of course, this is another fact that confuses the poor Kazekage, haha.

Thank you guys for such a warm welcome you gave to this collection! It makes me happy to see you enjoying it. As always, much love to my dearest and overworked beta Rapturesrevenge, and thank you guys for reading! 8D


	4. Theme 4

**Walking Together  
Theme 4: Movie Night**

-

Gaara's jade eyes surveyed the kitchen counter in suspicion. Next to him, Kankurou laughed while Sakura frowned.

"It's not funny, Kankurou," she chided. "You have such a bad taste in movies it isn't funny."

"Psh, welcome to the family," Temari sneered as she emptied the popcorn into a huge bowl, almost filling it to the brim. "Kankurou always loved those horror flicks. Zombies, bloodsuckers, stuff like that. Should I continue?"

"I think that's quite enough," the Kazehime said, then turned to her brother-in-law. "Your tastes in movies suck."

"Oh please, don't tell me my little sister is afraid of a little bit of fake gore," the puppeteer snickered. "I never pegged you as a coward, Sakura-chan."

A slanted roseate brow rose. "Is that so? Why don't you let me open your stomach and show you the real meaning of the word '_gore_,' Kan-kun? Baka."

Kankurou paled and waved his hands frantically. "Ne, ne, I'm joking, Sakura. We can watch something else. I brought a movie about a samurai, too."

Temari and Sakura looked at each other. "Boring," they declared together.

Kankurou scowled. "Fine, it's either Hostel or The Last Samurai. I didn't bring anything else."

"You don't have anything in your room?" Sakura asked, and her sister-in-law shook her head.

"Nope, I returned the movies already. I think I have something Shikamaru gave me the last time I went to Konoha though... let me take a look."

"My hero and role model, Temari-neesan!" Sakura chanted with a smile, sticking her tongue out at the Puppet Master, who huffed.

Gaara watched this easy banter calmly but intently. He watched the way Sakura interacted simply and comfortably with his siblings. It was a sight to behold, how easily she could act so social. Unlike him, she was made for interpersonal relationships.

However, her bluntness and general bad temper was so like his own that having her handle diplomatic relations with other villages was out of the question. That, and the fact that he wasn't about to allow her to step out of the village without his supervision. It was a good thing Kankurou and Temari worked as ambassadors to the other villages.

Lately, Sakura had been opening up to him. She was less skittish, more cheery, and this behavior started to show after that day at the hospital. She woke up in his office while he was in the middle of some paperwork. He allowed her to sleep as long as she needed. It was past midnight when she did wake up, but he kept an eye on her as she slumbered.

He discovered that his wife was the most devoted person he had ever met. True, he had seen signs of that when he saw her when they were teens, but being on the receiving end of her devotion was... an indescribable sensation. It was a feeling he wanted to prolong as much as he could.

That night, she blushed when he told her about her collapse in the operating room. She tried to apologize, but he countered with his observation of how little she regarded her own limits. Sakura's temper got the better of her then, which resulted in an argument he had won as soon as the dinner he requested arrived at his office. Sakura, realizing that he had been waiting for her to wake up so they could have dinner, conceded defeat. Over dinner, she was withdrawn and embarrassed, but Gaara didn't want any part of that. He asked her precise and concise questions about her work at the hospital, and that had been enough to break the ice between them. She was surprised, but as she started to explain her routines, he relaxed. In turn, Sakura relaxed as well.

This marked a change in the way they interacted with one another. Some days, they met at the teahouse to have lunch when both their schedules allowed. Other days, he waited for her at the hospital and they walked home together. He listened as she told him about her day, sometimes adding little details about his own. There were still other days when she came to his office with dinner when he was buried under tons of paperwork. After the meal, they worked together in companionable silence as she helped him to sort out the myriad of scrolls and folders.

Soon enough, three months had passed.

His sister got wind of this obvious and awkward way of courtship they had, and proceeded to stick her nose into his plans. Out of the blue, she asked him to take the day off. She evidently Sakura to do the same, and there they were, preparing to spend the day loitering around watching movies.

Gaara thought Temari's plan was ridiculous at best, but when Sakura eagerly agreed to spend time with her new family, he do nothing but comply, much to his sister's amusement. Kankurou was out of the loop as usual, but he, too, was informed of their plans, and was happy to help.

This was something Gaara didn't ask for, but he knew his siblings were as stubborn as his sweet but bad-tempered wife was.

It was a miracle the apartment was still in one piece.

From where he sat in the armchair, he watched how Sakura balanced the tray with the teacups with one hand as the other held the kettle, all while leading Kankurou out of the kitchen. When she was able, she placed everything neatly on the low table. In front of Gaara, the ludicrous device his brother had bargained with the Inuzuka nin in Leaf was lit, its large screen flashing blue.

"I found something," Temari called from the hallway that led to their rooms. "Shikamaru gave me this movie titled Black Hawk Down. It's a war film, or so he told me."

"I saw that one," Sakura agreed as she sat on the carped near her husband's leg. "It's not a bad movie, but I was hoping for something more... challenging. I'm sure Gaara will find it boring."

"I will watch it," he said emotionlessly. Temari nodded as she worked with the contraption to make it play the film, and Sakura looked up at him.

"You sure? It's not very deep, and the plot is kind of repetitive," she said as she offered him a cup of the green tea she had brewed. His large hand closed around the cup and nodded.

"I do not mind."

"Famous last words," she retorted, but soon she noticed Temari putting on her sandals, and Kankurou doing the same. "What? Where are you guys going?"

"We're going to rent some other movies," Kankurou said with a smirk, "we'll be right back."

Sakura blinked, as she stared at the door. Gaara chuckled, and when she looked up to him he pointed at the boxes that were at the end of the table.

"...He forgot the movies."

". . ."

Silence fell between them as the movie started.

"Do you still want to watch it?" Sakura asked. He nodded.

Gaara found that he rather liked how his senses jumped every time she directed a smile at him.

After a long while, she heard him sigh.

"You were right," he said, his lips curving slightly. "This film is absolutely boring. I can see why they were so bent on the battle, but they wouldn't have withstood so many losses if they hadn't used that flying thing and charged with all their forces."

Sakura burst out laughing, surprising her husband with her sudden amusement. "I knew it!" she said, stretching her back from her spot on the floor, and Gaara heard a few popping sounds. "It's a war flick that really isn't really suited to your tastes."

"Is that so?" he asked lightly "What kind of movie do you think would suit my tastes?"

He had launched the question carefully, watching her intently as her joyous face turned pensive.

"You know, I have no idea," she finally said, a smile still playing at her lips. "You're way too serious, Gaara. I can't really see you watching a comedy flick. A chick flick is also out of the question, you're not much into romance either."

Gaara frowned inwardly at her words, but he didn't contradict her.

"Also, it would be really out of character if you like musicals," she said with a laugh. "I guess you're more of an action man... or maybe you like those horror flicks Kankurou likes?"

"There is only one way to find out," he droned. She stood and went to change the discs, but when he turned back to him, he was sitting on the sofa. Extending a hand to the seat next to him, he tilted his head questioningly.

Sakura was already aware of how he worked. This little stunt was surely because he had seen her sitting uncomfortably on the floor, next to the tea kettle. Sitting in the space he indicated, they started watching the horror movie Kankurou brought.

They criticized it to pieces.

"Good lord, how can you do _that_ to a human face and not be disgusted?" Sakura asked in exasperation. "It's medically impossible for a person's skin to react like that."

"I have never seen such phenomenon in my life," Gaara agreed. "I can believe the blood, but the rest is...just stupid."

She snorted. "I don't know--" she cut herself off and they both tilted their heads at the screen. "Ewww...that's sick."

"Completely disgusting and utterly ridiculous," her husband said. Both looked at each other and smirked. She giggled, while Gaara chuckled. It was beyond unusual, this situation, but the atmosphere was so relaxed between each other that it was almost comfortable.

"No offense, Gaara, but I think that's why Kankurou likes these movies."

"Most surely," he nodded with a smirk. "Let us watch the other one."

"I'm sure it's boring," she said, smiling at him.

"Let us find out."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Awww. Gaara, you're still a dork, but an adorable one at that. Sakura won't know what hit her, kekeke.

Have anyone watched Hostel? It's very disgusting, but totally hilarious. The gore is so fake it's ridiculous. XD However, I did like Black Hawk Down, and I adore its OST.

Once more, much love and thanks to my lovely beta, Rapturesrevenge, and thank you guys for reading.


	5. Theme 5

**Walking Together**

**Theme 5: Absences during a Mission**

-

The sound of crinkling paper was all that could be heard in the vast office. The sole occupant of said administrative workspace sighed softly, blinking to dispel his reverie.

He had been remembering how his wife had smiled at him before leaving for her homeland with Temari.

It was perplexing how she slowly but surely made a place for herself at the top of his priorities. There hadn't been a day in which he hadn't wondered if she was doing alright at the hospital and if she working enough in her ninja training due to her medical duties, as well as wondering if she was sleeping well and resting properly.

Now, a week after her departure on a mission to bring a few medical scrolls she needed for teaching lessons at the hospital, Gaara was beginning to feel a little off without her.

True, they still didn't regard each other as spouses, but the dynamic they were slowly building felt right. They weren't in any hurry to begin an intimate physical bond, as per the tacit agreement they reached.

There were times when she greeted him with a peck on his cheek, which he accepted without making a fuss. They were enjoying their friendly relationship – as friendly as the redhead could get, anyway – and Gaara's frigid, haughty politeness disappeared entirely. Their conversations were now light and intelligent – he once asked her a question regarding some missions Iwa requested from them. He quickly learned that Sakura knew much, much more than she let on. Being the Hokage's apprentice gave her an opportunity to learn all she could about the workings and quirks of every hidden village and their shinobi force.

By now, she had become his most trusted advisor.

One time, walking home, Sakura commented how nice the full moon looked. He agreed, and this prompted the Kazehime to tell him a few things about her past in Konoha. He learned that her opinion of Naruto wasn't always high like now; he found out that she'd broken all her bones at least three times during her apprenticeship with Tsunade; he listened when she described the time she lost her first patient.

His wife was so versatile; her emotions weren't the only thing that he found interesting now. He knew the Sakura from Konoha and how she operated, and this show of trust was priceless to him.

In return, he told her about his confirmation as Kazekage; how he fought hard to defend his village from the menace that Akatsuki represented; how he felt during the period he had been dead to their world.

She never asked about Shukaku, though. It seemed curiously strange that she had never asked him about the tailed demon. When he asked her about it – during his yearly physical – she blinked, looking clearly baffled.

"I thought you weren't the one that didn't want to talk about it," she answered truthfully. "We... err... I mean, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries."

This irked him inwardly, which prompted him to tell her something he never told anyone except his siblings.

"I trust you. You need not worry about boundaries with me."

"But..."

"That day in the forest..." he interrupted, "what I did was absolutely unforgivable."

"You didn't do anything," she retorted, her emerald gaze soft. "It wasn't _you_. Even I know that."

He was speechless, staring fixedly at her until she smiled. "If it helps you, I forgave you a long time ago."

This little episode in her office seemed to be decisive. Now she was as candid and relaxed with him as she was with Temari and Kankurou. Even more, seeing as she always looked for him and after him, especially when he was busy at the office.

He succeeded in earning her trust. It cost a little bit of time, but finally he could rest assured that the relationship with Sakura was as much as trustworthy and consistent as the one he had with his siblings.

Therefore, she represented an important part of him now. His logic as shinobi, as Kazekage, and as a man, told him that she was someone who needed to be protected and cherished. She might be capable of reducing massive boulders to the finest sand, but her emotions, her _heart_, were as vulnerable as the softest petal of a desert flower.

Gaara decided that he was going to protect her with all his might and strength.

- X -

"Ah... this stuff is damn good!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed. "Naruto, must you be so crass? You're worse than Kiba."

"Hey, don't compare me with that mutt!" he exclaimed, mock-frowning. "Besides, it's been a while since I saw you, Sakura-chan. How's Suna treating you? Are you getting a divorce soon?"

"Who said that?" she asked. "I'm happy there. Gaara says I'm easy to please."

Naruto's smile disappeared, and his blue eyes narrowed seriously. It had been months since he last saw her. Back in Suna, the arranged marriage took its emotional toll on Sakura. Naruto was the only one who knew that. It wasn't because she was marrying Gaara per se, but because she felt she was betraying that ghostly promise she made herself regarding her lost Uchiha love. However, the Sakura sitting next to him didn't have bags under her eyes; her skin wasn't pale with the silent grief that haunted her since Sasuke left.

Moreover, the Kazehime was tanned thanks to the desert sun, brimming with life and strength thanks to her training. A dry smirk played at the edge of her lips, an expression he had seen Gaara wearing a few times.

"He said that?" the blond nin asked. "I can't believe it. You broke him, Sakura-chan."

"Oh, shut up," she countered with a hard smack on his arm. "He said I'm easy to please because I asked him to allow me to come here for a few scrolls I needed, but in truth he knew I wanted to visit. He's not as heartless as you want to believe, Naruto."

"I know he's not," he nodded with a foxy grin. "And I bet he makes you happy in every sense of the word, ne, Sakura-chan?"

Emerald eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?" she hissed, watching how her brother paled and backpedaled quickly.

"Ahaha! N-nothing, Sakura-chan! I was just wondering if he's treating you right, after all you're the Kazehime now and all that shit!"

Sakura rolled her eyes yet again and delivered a harsh bop to Naruto's head. "Cut the curses, I feel as if you're channeling Sai, for Kami's sake."

"Well, better Sai than another one," Naruto replied carefully, tone subdued. She looked at him, blue meeting dark green. "Really, is he treating you well? Because I can go to Suna right now and kick his ass. I bet it would be easier now that he doesn't have the Shukaku within him."

Sakura laughed. "Like if I would allow it! Don't even think of going to Suna if you're going with the intention of attacking the Kazekage. I'll personally punt you back to Konoha if you attempt to harm him," she added, laughing again when Naruto pouted and tried to whine. "No, no sir! He's my husband and it's my duty to protect him, even from the moron of a brother I have."

The Kyuubi Vessel's eyes squinted in the manner he used when he was trying to think of a comeback. "I get it now. He brainwashed you!"

"Now that's even more ridiculous than the thought of you wearing red robes," Sakura taunted, but soon her mood sobered. "Really, Naruto. Gaara has been nothing but a gentleman to me. We're best buddies now."

"How can you be best buddies with your husband?" he shot back. "That's not normal. And what's that with the red robes? You're mean, Sakura-chan!"

"Baaa~ka. This relationship isn't really based on a love bond and you know it," she said with a mild frown. "But he – we – were trying hard for this to work out. He entrusted me with his people's wellbeing for me to take care of, and I have to do the same for him. We're getting to know each other the best way we can, trying to get used to our different personalities."

"You're not so different, you know," Naruto said with an evil grin. "You both are scary, have anger management issues and have had at some point an evil being inside you. Luckily Gaara got his removed, but now I fear for his life with you there."

Sakura sighed into her tea cup while Naruto recovered from the punch that sent him sprawling to the ground of the Ichiraku ramen stand. A glare over her shoulder got him climbing to his seat, a black bruise blossoming beautifully in his right eye.

"Piss me off again and I'll break the treaty between Suna and Konoha by killing one of Leaf's shinobi in cold blood," she threatened. Naruto pouted, already knowing that her words were devoid of real killing intent.

A companionable silence stretched between the remaining members of Team Seven until Sakura raised her hand and healed his eye. Naruto hummed.

"Say, Sakura-chan," he started thoughtfully. "When the bastard comes back, what should I tell him now?"

"The truth," she murmured. "It's been years. I think I deserve better than bounce around, waiting for him to come back, if he really does. Maybe he doesn't. But now I have a village to think about, a husband I have to cherish and protect. Gaara might not say it, but I think he's satisfied with my help. That means a lot to me."

"Sakura-chan... are you falling in love with him?"

She blinked several times, but Naruto's eyes didn't squint in laughter as they usually did when he was joking. He was as serious as he could ever get. However, the question was something she had asked herself during the last month, without having the courage to answer to herself.

The Kazehime bit her lip, looking down to her ramen bowl.

"I don't know what I feel, Naruto," she said lowly, trying to organize her thoughts. It was the first time that someone – besides Temari, but she didn't count because she was too damn nosy for her own good – asked her such a loaded question. She remembered how Gaara seemed to gain an odd, watchful glint whenever she made her way toward him after a day at the hospital.

He was relaxed in her presence, a state of being he formerly achieved only in the presence of his siblings. There was a time that she watched Gaara let his temper get the best of him during a meeting with the elders. They had the gall to ask him when they were going to provide the village with descendents. She was about to shut the old geezer down when a swirl of sand entered the hall, surrounding the people gathered there in an eerie breeze that made everyone's hair stand on end. Gaara's words were cold and clipped, and the elder knew that he overstepped an invisible line with the Wind's Shadow.

It took all of Sakura's courage to reach her hand to his, trying to calm him down. She had seen him grumpy, sometimes annoyed, but never to the point of lividness. However, when he looked at her eyes... the sand quieted and the wind stopped howling inside the chamber.

Afterwards, she had been the one to politely berate the elders. She wasn't prepared yet to bring their offspring into the world, mainly because the Akatsuki was still at large, Sunagakure needed her as a medic, not as a mother, and just because they were too young. Powerful ninja they were, yes, but they were just entering their twenties.

"Sakura-chan?"

She sighed, coming out of her reverie. "It's very complicated, Naruto," she continued. "My feelings are... confusing. Gaara is my husband, and what I feel for him is... different from what I felt once for Sasuke. Everything has changed now."

The blond nin scratched his head. "But... you do feel something for him, right? Friendship, maybe?"

The Kazehime nodded, but deep down, knew that she was lying.

It was different, and so much more than that.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Of course, Gaara didn't freak out because of the blatant attempt to pry into his – _their_ – privacy, but because he still feels that his relationship with Sakura is way too young for such a huge commitment. That, and the fact that he's terrified of fathering children. Think about it: his father was nothing but a SOB with him and his siblings. The last thing he would want is to repeat the same mistakes with the children Sakura might give him. Also, she's full of bull, as you can obviously see. XD She's another one drowning in a glass of water, but soon enough, my dear readers. Lasting relationships are based on trust; which both Gaara and Sakura are building right now. Let's see what happens next. 8D

In another news, I'm in a need of a new beta. If someone is interested, please send me a PM after reading my profile.


	6. Theme 6

**Walking Together**

**Theme 6: Messing with the Cooking**

-

The wind howled outside the windows of the apartment balcony, making the sole occupant of said residence shiver involuntarily.

Truly, a sandstorm wasn't really like a thunderstorm, but there was something about the way the wind howled outside that had Sakura completely fascinated, albeit a bit wary.

It wasn't the first time she'd experienced a sandstorm. A month after her marriage, she found herself trapped in the hospital under the onslaught of one such phenomenon. There was no rain, however – the head nurse told her that the rain season was near the end of the year – but the sheer violence of the winds and the sand swirling in the streets and burying everything under was something she'd never seen.

However, that time she was saved by her husband, who appeared at the hospital's doors. Since the sand was part of him, it only took moments for him to teleport her back home. She had to endure many squeals and giggling from the staff, who seemed to be completely taken with Gaara's thoughtfulness towards his Kazehime, but she knew he did it because she told him once that she would probably get lost if she tried to go home in a sandstorm.

Now, safely within the walls of their home, she could see how beautiful a sandstorm was once she got used to the limited visibility. The grains of earth swirled and circled in little gusts thanks to the wind. Every attempt to see beyond the building across the street was futile. Everything was muted to the point of almost darkness, but sometimes Sakura could see the black cloak of stars trying to peek between the airstreams.

Combined with the wind, Sakura learned the hard way that the desert wasn't always unbearably hot. The temperature dropped so abruptly at night that she thought it could be compared to the beginnings of winter in Konoha. It was so freezing cold it was insane. It made her think about frosted windows and snow. But the desert was also very dry, so the humidity didn't get a chance to condense and form frost on glass.

That was something weird about the desert's nature, but Sakura enjoyed it all the same.

Speaking of desert enjoyments, Gaara had told her the day she returned from Konoha about his favorite foods, surprising her with the simplicity of them. He was very basic in his tastes, lizard meat his most preferred one, along with some other side dishes that could be prepared within half an hour with diligent work.

Temari had to accompany Kankurou to a meeting in the outskirts of Iwa to on some deals they had with Rock Country, so she was pretty much on her own. She didn't know if Gaara liked his meat rare, medium rare or well done, but she was willing to give it a try to show him her appreciation and to make sure he got a decent meal from time to time. She was an average cook, but she compensated for her lack of skills hard work. Now that she knew that too many things together, albeit good, didn't exactly help the main flavor of the dishes, she limited herself to following the instructions in the cook book without even trying to stray out of the course of the recipe.

It was better like that, like her friends in Konoha told her. She was simply not meant to be creative in the kitchen.

However, cooking lizard meat was something much different than putting onigiri and miso soup together. According to the book Temari left in the kitchen – usually well used by her sister-in-law – lizards were similar to balloon fish; one bad cut and the whole thing would be dangerously poisonous.

Sakura was confident on her cutting skills; she wasn't an acclaimed medic and kunoichi for nothing!

Boiling the water as she took out the little animal – dead, thankfully, and mildly prepared by the attendant of the meat shop – she set the book close, following the diagram to cut the meat correctly. She tasted that kind of meat once, thanks to Kankurou's usual teasing of her squeamishness towards weird foods.

Stealing a morsel of meat from Gaara's plate, she proceeded to pop it in her mouth and chewed carefully. She didn't notice that the three Sabaku siblings were expecting her opinion, staring at her as her tongue rendered the flavors of said exotic meat.

Smiling at Gaara, she had honestly said that it wasn't bad, but she preferred chicken.

Remembering how Temari laughed and Kankurou grumbled, Sakura went about preparing everything to compose a dinner for her husband. She felt weirdly domestic, as if she was cooking a treat for her husband – which she was – to reward her with a kiss or something like that – which he _wasn't_ going to, she was absolutely sure of that.

Truth be told, Gaara was painstakingly careful about the physical contact between them. He could tolerate handholding, kisses to his cheek and even random hugs, but the mere thought of something intimate with him... Sakura didn't know what the hell was happening to her body.

The Kazekage always stepped out of his room already dressed, since all four of the Sabaku family's quarters had bathrooms attached to them. There wasn't danger of sudden nudity in any form. He was always covered, either in his blue Kazekage robes (which Sakura thought were particularly nice on him), the dark red and black attire he favored when training or when the robes were too bothersome for him, or the set of dark sweatpants and sleeveless shirt he wore when lounging around their home.

Sakura had to repress her inner persona when she pointed out that he needed to showcase his attributes for his wife just to check if he had grown from that scrawny boy he was back in the day. Truly, he had changed greatly from the person he was, not only emotionally (just a little, though) and mentally (because Suna simply wouldn't have chosen him to be their leader if he still was insane), but also physically. He was taller, a little bit broader, and though he still bore those dark rings around his eyes and maintained that blood red hair, he really had changed.

Sakura overheard a pair of medical-students-slash-Kazekage-fangirls talking about how lucky she was to be Gaara's wife. They gossiped about his build, his good looks, his body – especially his body – pretty much like Sakura herself had done once or twice with Ino back in her homeland when they talked about guys.

Commentary from her students didn't help at all. Inner Sakura liked to add all sorts of lewd remarks around Gaara, which prompted Outer Sakura to blush randomly and disguise her stammers with coughs. He hadn't said anything, so she was almost certain he hadn't caught onto her sudden discomfiture.

Sighing deeply, she went about cutting the vegetables for a salad when she felt someone enter the apartment through the door.

"Tadaima," she heard the soft greeting coming from the living room, making her smile.

"In the kitchen!" she called out, knowing the chakra signature making its way toward her position.

"Evening," Gaara's deep voice sounded slightly off. He was probably tired.

"Hey," she greeted back without looking up. "I'm making dinner. Go take a shower and I'll call you when it's ready."

"What are you making?" the redhead asked, his feet starting to move to do her bidding. Sakura smiled.

"It's a surprise. Go ahead and relax for a bit."

Of course, she should have known that _even_ Suna's cuisine wasn't as easy as Konoha's.

When she went to check on the pot she was stewing, it had surprisingly turned purple. She was sure as hell that the well done piece of meat she had tasted didn't look purple, of all things! She must have done something wrong!

"Aw, hell!" she complained to the kitchen at large, as a suspicious aroma filtered from the pot to the air. "Ugh! This thing stinks!"

Quickly covering the pot and turning off the heat, she let out a string of curses that even Naruto and Kiba together couldn't have spewed. She was pissed! How bad she was at cooking that her attempts turned purple?!

"What are you doing?" Gaara's voice next to her almost made her jump out of her skin. "What is that smell?"

"Aw," Sakura let out another curse that made her husband blink in surprise. It wasn't the first time he had heard her raging like that, but it was mostly towards Kankurou when he annoyed her. "I tried to make lizard for dinner," she explained, looking oddly and dejectedly defeated, a little blush coloring her features. "But that thing had to have a mind of its own and not be cooked properly!"

Not really knowing what she was talking about, Gaara went about lifting the lid of the pot. Jade eyes stared for a long moment, and slid to settle on her displeased emerald ones.

"Is this lizard?"

Sakura nodded, furrowing her brows in frustration, her lips gathering together in a pout that he found strangely tantalizing. "I followed all the instructions from Temari's book, but I seem to have screwed up on something... I'm sorry, Gaara, I did want to make you a nice dinner."

He stared wordlessly at her before looking back at the ruined stew.

"It seems... rotten."

"I know," she said. "But the rice and the soup are okay, I tasted them."

"Are you sure you aren't trying to poison me to seize the Kage position?"

Sakura puffed up instantaneously, and was going to shoot back something when she noticed his lips curling slightly in a mocking little smile.

"That book is obsolete," he said, finally covering the lid and straightening to his full height. "I do not like lizard. However, my favorite food is gizzard."

Sakura groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Damn it! And here I thought I was doing something good!"

"I do not mind," her husband responded evenly. "We can eat the other things you have prepared. That is, if you really did not try to poison me."

Lifting her head to rebuke him, she noticed that he was shirtless, his dark sweatpants clinging to his hips. A towel was carelessly draped around his neck, which meant that he had leapt out of the shower when he heard her cursing.

Nonetheless, the sight before the pink-haired Kazehime sent an electric shock down her spine. His back was broader that her lewd mental roommate thought, still glistening with moisture from his shower. His red locks were damp as well, sticking to his face and concealing a little the tattoo on his forehead.

And when he turned around, Sakura saw a little trail of red that went from his navel until it disappeared into the sweatpants. She swallowed and blinked, forcing her ears to pay attention of what he was asking.

"What?"

He didn't look amused at her spacing out, but didn't comment on it.

"I asked you if you could get the rest of the dinner."

"Uhm, yeah, sure, give me a minute," she babbled, gathering the bowls and the chopsticks in order to put everything together for the meal.

From his side of the counter, Gaara covertly inhaled again. Over the stench of the lizard stew, was another aroma that recently broke into the enclosed atmosphere. Fresh and utterly feminine, he realized that it was Sakura's scent. Her scent was actually very pleasant, especially because her hygiene products were of the neutral kind – except for her shampoo, which had a green apple fragrance that didn't seem to bother him at all – and her natural scent wasn't hampered by other artificial aromas. But the male in him reared his instincts; kicking his senses into gear and making him take another whiff.

That was Sakura's scent, but somewhat different. More concentrated, pungent, sweeter.

As they ate in silence, one reeled in the fact that she couldn't keep her blood from rushing in her veins, and the other couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he just caught the scent of her arousal.

Of course, a new light was thrown onto their perceptions of each other. And something told them that there was no going back now.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Yeah, yeah. A little bit of UST doesn't hurt anybody, right? They really need to get laid ASAP. XD

My chapter buffer is thinning, hahaha. Many thanks to Rapturesrevenge for the beta. 8D

Regarding the announcement I posted on my profile, I got a new beta! You'll now her name soon enough. Meanwhile, thank you guys for reading!


	7. Theme 7

**Walking Together**

**Theme 7: A Secret Hobby**

-

The training grounds were deserted.

A slithering sound was the only thing that was heard that early in the morning. It was the best time for Gaara to train, since the rest of the day he was to look after the village.

"Sabaku Rou."

He wasn't still the Kazekage for nothing. His sand manipulation was as sharp as ever. Even if the Akatsuki extracted the Ichibi from him, it only was a matter of time for him to overcome his handicap and reestablish his dominance over the earthen grains.

Sunagakure knew there wasn't a person with more drive and determination than him, and thus he retained his title and the leadership of the hidden village.

Gaara also learned from past skirmishes with other shinobi. He went about working on and refining his taijutsu, as he realized that close combat was his weak point. The redheaded nin was so down to earth that usually genjutsu didn't fool him. As for ninjutsu, it had been his specialty since he was a toddler, so he only needed to practice enough to stay at the top of his game.

"Shukaku no Tate."

The sand compressed, forming the shape of the tanuki that had made his early life hell. Gaara wasn't going to change the shape of the absolute defense shield however, because the mere sight of the sand raccoon demon was enough to make enemy ninja understand that he wasn't really the average opponent. He was Sabaku no Gaara, and most of the rogue nin he encountered after his change of heart – AKA, the beating Uzumaki Naruto gave him to force him to wake up to life – learned the hard way that even without the Shukaku, he wasn't a man to be trifled with.

Especially if something related to _his_ village was in danger.

The mission he had assigned to Team Gamma was easy enough, but one of the chuunin got lost in his scouting assignment. His disappearance made his team to split and search for him, only to get captured by a band of enemy nin. When he found out – funny how Sakura's eyes had narrowed in anger at the news, as if the missing team were as much her friend as the rest – he didn't order for a search party to be assembled. He went alone on the lead, with Temari and her jounin team following from afar.

Since Gaara was little, he had a complete understanding of the desert, making him the best tracker Suna could have ever produced. The sand spoke to him, the vibrations in the wind and earth gave the locations he needed to retrieve his men.

It only took him a grand total of five minutes to obliterate the band of rogue ninjas and free the captive shinobi. He was the Kazekage, of course, but the deeply ingrained instincts he had about battles and killing were enough for him to slaughter his enemies with perfect control and precision. He was as ruthless as he always was, but he didn't kill anyone who didn't try to kill him first.

Remembering idly how Sakura jumped from her desk when he entered her office at the hospital covered in blood from head to toe, the Kazekage moved his hands lazily, dispelling the massive shield in front of him. She put her hand on her chest and sighed deeply when he told her that the blood covering him wasn't his. Then she did something he never expected from her.

Her eyes started to fill with tears as she stood and fetched a wet cloth and started to clean his face up and help him discard the bloody garments as she ran her glowing hands on him to make sure he wasn't injured. He allowed her to do so, as he watched closely how she hid her feelings behind her professional façade and went about her medical examination. He was a little depleted on the chakra side, but sound as a bell.

"Sakura," he called her name in a whisper, trying to understand why she hadn't exploded. It wasn't like her to refrain from speaking her thoughts, after they established their so-called relationship.

"Do me a favor, please, Gaara?" she interrupted him, lips trembling with the repressed emotional wave. "Promise me you will take care of yourself in the field."

His forehead furrowed in confusion, he nodded once. She managed to give him a little smile before her face lowered to his bare shoulder.

Feeling her hot tears rolling down his skin, he realized that she was concerned for his wellbeing. The conclusion sent his heart racing: _she had been worried about him_.

Such a powerful feeling, he mused inwardly, such an overwhelming emotion. He didn't hesitate and wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her to him in a reassuring embrace.

It was the first time he had initiated any form of physical contact, and this made her lift her head in surprise, meeting jade eyes that weren't really blandly emotionless or cold. His gaze was as surprised as hers, a note of hesitation in its depths.

Sakura's tears started up again, as she lifted her arms to lock them around his neck.

Listening to her sobs and nodding at her frantic demands for him to promise to stop being so reckless, he understood that his bond with her had been cemented. It wasn't about friendship anymore. She was no longer his comrade, but his companion.

Slipping his fingers under her coat, he perched his arms on her hips...

The Kazekage furrowed his brow. If it weren't for the head nurse that had entered the office at the most inopportune of times, he would have – finally – tasted his wife's lips.

It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to do that for quite a while, of course. The Shadow of Wind Country wasn't going to behave like a hormonal adolescent. Unfortunately for Gaara, his body and masculine instincts told him otherwise.

"Suna Raishin."

Her presence had thrown him for a loop since he met her. Being absolutely honest with himself, he had been surprised when that little, weak girl threw herself in his way when he was about to kill the Uchiha. Her eyes – those green eyes that seemed to pierce into his very soul – were angry, terrified, but so determined to die for somebody else's sake that it took his breath away every single time he recalled it.

And now, that little, weak girl was his proud, beautiful and strong Kazehime. _His mate_. The girl that had cried rivers was now a legendary kunoichi in her own right.

His lips curved in a slight smile. He felt her entering the training grounds from the road that came by the cemetery. Knowing her as he did, she had probably visited Chiyo-baa's grave. She usually went once a week. She never asked him to accompany her, so he left her alone to pay respects for the fallen Elder who saved both their lives.

Raising his hands, he dispersed the sand and waited for his wife to show herself. When she didn't, he closed his eyes and resumed his training, the little smile never leaving his lips.

Sakura mimicked his facial expression, only wider. Since that day at her office, their dynamic shifted. It was for the best, she felt, because her feelings for Gaara were taking a definite shape now. She was terrified to say it out loud, but she was sure that her heart pretty much had tipped the scale towards him. It wasn't really because he was her husband, but because he had changed, and how he treated her as an ally, as a trusted advisor, and... as a mate. _Her companion_.

She felt frustrated when the head nurse entered her office that day. The medics had seen Gaara walking to her office looking as if he'd fought in a slaughterhouse and they were so alarmed they could do nothing but call their head in order to make sure their Kazekage was alright. She had, of course, because it was her duty to look over the wellbeing of their patients, but having the certainty that their esteemed Kazehime would heal whatever was wrong with him.

Now, perched in the nearest boulder, she saw just how strong her husband was. It was as if the Ichibi had never been extracted; such contained power and violence, such incredible control, such ruthlessness. He was the perfect killing machine, a one man army, but she had seen the other side of him. The thoughtful, sarcastic Gaara. The man who looked so uncomfortable when they were interrupted just as he was about to kiss her.

Sakura understood she wasn't alone in that situation. He allowed her inside; something he afforded no one else except his siblings. He trusted her, and she trusted him. She couldn't run away from his, for she was joined with him legally and morally. Being Sakura, she accepted it at face value, and she hoped that someday, he would reciprocate her feelings.

She learned her lesson the hard way with Sasuke. She wasn't about to tell Gaara that he was her most precious person now. She didn't know if she could take further rejection.

"Suna Shuriken."

The sand formed several shuriken, dancing around their wielder with astounding speed, entrancing but oh so lethal, changing their shape as they surrounded the redheaded man and covered him in his usual rounded defensive barrier.

Sakura sighed. She was scared of what he might say if she told him she was... well, that she had feelings for him. Gaara wasn't really keen on demonstrating affection, if his scowls when Temari ignored his rank and ruffled his naturally unkempt hair in sisterly teasing told otherwise.

She was so distracted that she almost missed the sandy arrow that flew at her. Jumping to a side, her medic training kicking in with her evasive moves, she noticed that he had known that she was there, watching him train.

The pink-haired Kazehime didn't have any chance to blush or to yell at him when another sand attack came at her, prompting her to do something to remedy the situation.

They fought.

They fought hard and long, until their chakra was almost depleted.

Something about the contained violence they wielded was exhilarating for both of them. Her chakra-laden punches were as devastating as his flesh-ripping sand, and it took a long while for them to finally end the sparring session in a draw.

To Gaara, the sight of her, disheveled, flushed and panting with exertion was something he would never forget. This was his wife. _His_.

Making his way slowly through the rubble that was the training grounds, he neared Sakura with the same mocking smirk he always used when he was trying to be social. But the smirk disappeared when his eyes met hers. Turbulent emerald met satisfied jade, and everything, their relationship, their destiny, their lives, was sealed right then and there.

As Gaara finally dropped his head and traced her lips with his, he realized that the most vulnerable side of him was soaring in bliss. This is what his mother meant about him being the one she loved the most... that's what Yashamaru said. But then again, his uncle had lied to him, so that wasn't an acceptable comparison. This is what he had longed for since his mother passed on and left him with Yashamaru.

This is what he had cried for when he discovered his uncle's betrayal.

The word he had engraved into his own forehead.

And while Sakura's senses flooded with the sensation of being within his embrace, his lips claiming hers in a hard, possessive kiss, she felt like her heart was about to burst with the torrent of joy she was experiencing. That side of her that always longed for someone who loved her was filled with so much emotion that she thought she would faint. Slipping her arms around is neck, she didn't fight it anymore. She just gave in.

And he didn't disappoint her.

It was past sunset when he finally emerged from his room, refreshed and dressed. He had something to do in his office, a mission to assign and then he would be back to her. He was as content as someone that just had the most thrilling experience of his life would be. Especially when she followed him out of the bedroom to see him off, wearing the sleeveless shirt he used around the house. It felt _right_, to see her wearing his clothes.

Gaara decided he wouldn't mind seeing her like that regularly.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN: **I won't write about their first time. Let's assume they both popped their cherries – pun completely intended, haha – and they started their awesome sex life in utter bliss. Of course, both being so stubborn but actually very dedicated, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that their _real_ honeymoon had just began. 8D

Why did they take so long? My thoughts on Gaara are not the usual raging, smug ass that other authors like to portray. My version of the Kazekage – a Gaara without the Shukaku – is everything about his maturity and sometimes grumpiness, but always determined to prove to his people, to his family and to himself that he's past the nightmares and the madness that clouded his early life. He's starting to actually live his life – a totally new life, haha – and knowing how his background is, it's not that crazy to imagine he would need his time to accustom to his spouse, to relax around her, to _trust_ her with everything.

As for Sakura, regarding the background she has and setting her in a relationship with someone she knows – in some ways, Gaara has some traits that she could relate with Sasuke – and finding out that he's _**not**_ Sasuke at all. She's scared, but she's willing to give it a chance, after all they're already married. She's falling for Gaara for _him_, not for what he was or the title he holds. Gaara saw this, and that's why he started to open up to her as well.

Alright, enough tl;dr. Thanks to Rapturesrevenge for the beta and thank you guys so much for reading! 8D


	8. Theme 8

**Walking Together**

**Theme 8: Sleeping Habits**

-

When Gaara heard about Ebizo's collapse, the only thought that ran through his head was what his wife would say about the matter. He made his way to the hospital as swiftly as he could, only to find Sakura covering the Suna Elder's wrinkled face tenderly with a white sheet, two glistening tracks running down her face.

She had been very sad afterwards; she knew that Ebizo had been the one that suggested her name to Gaara, and being Chiyo's brother, she had offered the same friendship to him that she had to the deceased kunoichi. Ebizo had been like a father to her while she adjusted to life in Suna, so it was understandable that she grieved for him. Thankfully, she was certain that the old man died peacefully, and his last words were of gratitude to her for being with his sister during the most trying of times.

They both attended the funeral wearing black. He, because it was the protocol to pay respects; and she because of _motu proprio_. The entire council was there, and they were witness to how his hand had searched for hers in a silent show of reassurance and support.

Who would have thought that the feared Godaime Kazekage would offer reassurance to his wife like that? Something had changed, the elders knew. Deep inside, they were grateful for the Kazehime's wish for their patience. It seemed that they had taken their time to get to know each other.

Now, they had to wait for nature to take its course. Unbeknownst to them, they had given the council a great relief.

Ebizo would have been ecstatic with this development.

After the funeral, Gaara watched Sakura kneel next to Chiyo's grave, murmuring something. Leaving flowers next to the headstone, she returned to his side with a calm face, as if the short minutes she had spent in front of the Suna kunoichi's grave had brought her the serenity she needed.

That didn't stop her from following him when it was time to leave, grabbing his sleeve to allow him to lead her back home.

She spent the day very quiet, sitting on the sofa and looking out the balcony at the village.

Gaara didn't know how to deal with a meek, quiet Sakura. He very much preferred the grumpy, cheerful one. But he knew that she needed her space in order to deal with her grief. It wasn't something he understood, but Temari stopped him and shook her head when he tried to go to her.

The night fell over Suna, and it brought a sense of peace to the village. No sandstorms disturbed the tranquility of the populace. Gaara stood in front of the window, keeping silent vigil over his people and a close eye on the slumbering Kazehime. Not for long though, for she awoke with a start and sat up, looking at her husband with puzzled eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, rubbing one eye sleepily. "Are you alright?"

The redhead nodded curtly. He was more worried about her, actually, but he simply didn't know how to phrase it.

Hair mussed and overall tired, Sakura yawned and sent a look to her spouse that he could not avoid. "Are you going to stand there all night?" she asked, pushing the sheet away and motioning to the space beside her. "You need to rest, Gaara."

He stared at her for a long moment. The moon fell partly over the bed, obscuring her face and hair, but her eyes were as vivid as always.

He complied. Settling next to her, the Kazekage watched how she brought the sheet up over their bodies, covering them to their waists. She was a shameless cuddler, he had noticed since they started sleeping together, but somehow he didn't mind. It was reassuring to have a warm, pliant and soft body next to him. He could relate the feeling to the stuffed bear he had in his childhood, something soft he liked to hold to him.

But this female body was even warmer, breathing with life and emotions, with arms that held him back. Gaara had to admit to himself that he reveled in the entrancing feeling of having Sakura in his arms... especially when she pressed closer to him.

_She wasn't afraid of him_. He had noticed this during the months of their courtship, but this was the best proof. She trusted him completely... and this was the most exhilarating feeling he could ever experience.

"Gaara," she whispered sleepily, "stop frowning; you're going to get wrinkly."

He sighed. Her fussing over him was sometimes annoying, but he did nothing to rebuke her. He had seen concern in her eyes whenever she chided him about staying late in his office doing paperwork and about not eating properly because of his multiple occupations...

She cared for him.

"Sleep," he commanded softly. She sighed and settled her head on his shoulder.

"You know," she mumbled. "I'm glad you chose me... you need someone to take care of you. I'm grateful for your decision to have me."

His lips curved as she curled next to him, her face pressed in his neck after her lips left the trace of a kiss on his cheek.

She was wrong; he thought as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was the one grateful for her decision to have _him_.

And Temari had been wrong in her assessment of Sakura as well. She needed to grieve with him at her side. And now, these words that she uttered to him in the dead of night reaffirmed his existence like no other thing could. Her presence was something he cherished greatly, her support sought, needed, craved even.

Sabaku no Gaara was sure of what he had now; and by this great feeling of contentment he experienced when he was at her side, he was not going to let anyone take her away from him.

And that was a promise, he thought to himself with a faint smile as he let sleep overtake his senses.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** A little short, but I wanted to make Gaara realize that Sakura was one of his precious people now. Not really because she's his wife, but for the feelings he's starting to have for her. 8D

Regarding the cuddling, now that he trusted Sakura enough to sleep with her, the little side of him that had always longed for physical contact is accepting every touch she gives him. He might have overcome that instinct of wariness when it comes to her, mostly because he had seen how much she trusted him. What better proof to sleep next to him, her body lax and vulnerable and trusting not to hurt her?

This is what _I_ think that Gaara thinks, of course. :P

Many thanks to Rapturesrevenge for her beta and thank you guys for reading!


	9. Theme 9

**Walking Together**

**Theme 9: Joint Mission**

-

**Warning:** Mild character bashing.

-

The Kazekage cursed inwardly at the scroll that came from Konoha.

The information it held was of personal interest, of course, but mostly because it concerned his wife. As if on cue, she entered his office as they had agreed earlier in the morning, to fetch him to go out to lunch.

His frown didn't deter her. "Gaara-sama," she addressed with a smile, knowing how it irked him for her to call him with an honorific, "I'm here as you requested."

Suddenly, the nin that had brought the message turned to her. It was interesting, he mused, to see her eyes widen with surprise. "Shikamaru!" she exclaimed, her smile now dazzling with surprise and joy. "Welcome! It's been a while since I saw you!"

"Likewise," the bored nin greeted with a smirk. "It seems that the change of scenario suited you greatly, Sakura."

She laughed. "Yeah, sure, a tanned me always looks better than the one that was sequestered in the hospital in Konoha," she shot as she moved towards Gaara. "Do you mind of he comes with us to lunch? It's been a while since I had news from Konoha."

The genius Leaf shinobi looked at Gaara, who in exchange stared at Sakura for a moment, then at him. Seeing the Kazekage's hesitant nod, he directed his sharp gaze to his former comrade. "Sakura, I think it's best if you sit down," he said. "I have news."

She stilled next to Gaara's desk. "Naruto," she breathed, her hand going to her chest. Some unknown emotion flooded her husband's controlled anxiousness, seeing how the first person she asked for was her brother, not the person's name that was written in the scroll.

Shikamaru shook his head. "He's fine," he assured her. "He's dating Hinata, by the way. Finally."

Relief was obvious in the Kazehime's face. "Then, what's going on?" she asked sharply. "Bad news, Shika?"

"It depends of how you see it, actually," he stalled, looking at Gaara once more. But by now Sakura was starting to get annoyed by her Leaf friend and had noticed the looks the males were exchanging.

"You will talk now," she commanded firmly, exercising her position as Kazehime. "If something is happening in my homeland, I _demand_ to be made aware."

The Konoha nin sighed deeply. "Jeez, Sakura. Calm down, I'm not withholding information from you," her friend frowned. "There have been sightings of Uchiha Sasuke in Fire Country," he explained. "Apparently, he allowed people to see him because he wants a meeting with his former team...or that's what he said to Neji, who encountered him near the Fire Temple. Curiously enough, Sasuke didn't engage the Hyuuga in a fight. He just told him he wanted to meet with Kakashi, Naruto...and you. Then, he disappeared."

During the explanation, Gaara saw how Sakura's hands grasped the edge of the desk, fingers whitening with the pressure she exerted over the wood. She was trying to control herself.

"He also asked for leniency towards the team he has now. Team Hawk. He said that he finally fulfilled his goal, and that he wanted to explain some things to his former nakama."

A derisive laugh escaped her lips, silencing her friend. Her husband looked up to see her smiling...but this smile was new to him.

A _bitter_ smile.

"_Former nakama_," she repeated with a sneer that could have been a match of one of Gaara's. "How rich of him to acknowledge the bond he had with his team just after he finally killed Itachi. I wonder if he found out that Kakashi's words were true, after all."

"What words?" Gaara asked. Sakura shook her head, remembering.

"Kakashi told Naruto and I that he had warned Sasuke about those goals when we were kids," she answered truthfully. "He told him that he would only find emptiness after everything. Sasuke didn't pay attention, of course. He probably thought that what Kakashi told him was stupid."

The Kazekage let out a pondering hum. "I remember overhearing something when I went to challenge him, before the final match in the Chuunin exams," he mused out loud. "He did not answer to his sensei, and then I stepped in. It is not a good memory."

"I'm sure it isn't," Sakura agreed offhandedly. "Is there anything else, Shikamaru?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "I'm going back tomorrow. Tsunade-sama wanted you to know this because she knows how you are with your teammates. Ino sends her regards, by the way. She wanted me to give you the invitation for her wedding. She's marrying Chouji."

"How thoughtful of Ino-pig," she answered, and Gaara felt that her mind was miles away. "Tell her that I'll do my best to be there."

As she exited the office, Shikamaru directed an apologetic look at the Kazekage. "I'm sorry," he said. "I really didn't want to tell her."

"No," the redheaded man said, as composed as ever. "She needed to know."

But deep inside, he was terrified of her reaction. And the worst part was that he didn't know what she would decide.

-X-

Entering the apartment, he found his wife looking at the village as the sun dropped on the horizon.

"Pack your necessities," he spoke briefly and tonelessly. "We will leave tomorrow at dawn for Konoha."

She wouldn't know how hard it had been for him to come to this decision. But he had read somewhere the old adage—'if you love something, set it free; if it returns, it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was.' He had found that this was what _she_ needed.

It wasn't about their marriage anymore. It was about _her_, and solely her—her heart and her feelings. Much more was at stake than a piece of parchment where their signatures were placed together.

He had decided to try. But yet again, he was surprised by her.

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't want to see him, Gaara."

"Why not?" he queried, furrowing his forehead. "I was sure you wanted to reunite your team once more."

"That is not my team anymore," she said, closing her eyes and feeling the sweet desert wind slipping through her still short tresses. "Team Kakashi is my family. And whether or not he might be a part of it, I do have an obligations to you."

He was silent for a moment, until she turned to watch him, leaning her hip on the railing.

"You want to set me free," she said cautiously, watching how his jade gaze sharpened on her. "But, Gaara...I'm yours now. I won't turn my back on you."

"Do you still love him?" he asked slowly. She nodded, but smiled altogether differently, throwing him off balance once more.

"I love him because he's part of my family. It's like loving a brother. A stupid brother that never cared for me."

"I care for you," he said, realizing that this confronting of feelings was necessary. "But not as a brother. You are my wife."

"And you are my husband, Gaara," she said easily, that little smile adorning her face widening slightly. "I promised to cherish you, to take care of you. I won't betray the trust you placed in me."

He sighed when she raised her hand to him. "Sakura, you must go."

"Alright," she finally accepted. "But get this, Kazekage-sama. I won't leave your side."

Gaara took her hand, and somehow, the little boy inside him that was fretting to see her going away, felt reassured.

-X-

Four shadows flitted through the dense foliage, two following the other pair.

"So you said that his last sighting was near the Fire Temple," Temari asked her partner. Shikamaru nodded.

"This is troublesome...the Temple has been part of a nasty battle before. I really don't want to see it crumble down once more."

"We'll just have to make sure that Naruto doesn't lose his head," Sakura said matter-of-factly. "Leave that to me."

"What are you planning?" the redhead at her side asked, a frown etched in his features.

"Have you ever heard of a jutsu called A Thousand Years of Pain?" he shook his head but Shikamaru snickered behind them. "It's the first technique Kakashi taught us. Naruto has a fresh reminder of it whenever he says or does something stupid."

The Nara shinobi let out a snort. "Which is pretty often."

"That's because I'm not there to punt him across the village," the Kazehime sniffed haughtily. "But as his older sister, I'll have to make him remember that his perverted ways are not allowed with Hinata."

Temari laughed. "So he finally noticed her? About damn time."

"Well, he's a dense moron, but he has the biggest heart I've ever known," Sakura said with a fond smile that disappeared almost immediately. "I just hope it doesn't shatter with this...meeting."

Her companions had nothing to say to that.

-X-

The rendezvous with Team Kakashi was something that Gaara observed closely. Being the only female in the group, Sakura had been received with great joy by her former teammates. Naruto hugged her tightly, and the Copy Ninja waved at her with his eye curved, signaling he was smiling under his mask.

"Yo, Sakura-sama!" he greeted jokingly. "It's been a while!"

Said kunoichi lifted a brow but smiled nonetheless. She then greeted the mokuton user and the ink user warmly. "Yamato-taichou, Sai, how have you been?"

"You know, same old, same old," the elder jounin answered with a smile. "How's life in Suna, Kazehime-sama?"

"Rather pleasant, if I say so myself," she said with a pout at being addressed with her title. "I never get bored. There's always something to do...but I have to admit that I've been missing this kind of scenario as of late."

"And now you're back to chasing down Sasuke-kun," Sai mused out loud. Gaara's eyes went to Sakura, to assess her reaction. There was none, save foran exasperated roll of her eyes.

"Something tells me I'll have the need to break the treaty during this mission," she answered with a grin that made Naruto squeak and backpedal from her. Sakura raised her gaze to her husband. "Do you mind if I kill one of our allies?"

"I am sure we can allege self-defense," he deadpanned, calling her bluff. She and Temari laughed. "Uzumaki, Hatake, please brief us on the matter at hand," he added seriously.

As Kakashi explained, the blond, whiskered shinobi saw how close his pink-haired sister stood next to her husband. Something had changed, and the atmosphere between them was, albeit tense, open enough for them to share the same personal bubble, so to speak. Naruto smiled. He had known this would happen in the long run.

Inwardly, the Kyuubi vessel hoped that the delicate balance that the Heads of the Wind Country had would survive the encounter with the last Uchiha.

-X-

It was almost midnight when Yamato opened his eyes from his meditation, settling his dark gaze on Kakashi. "He's near," he said simply.

Sakura's eyes searched for Gaara's. He stared back, as she grasped his hand in hers. After squeezing it, she stepped forward, placing herself in front of him. He didn't know what she was planning, but her blatant protective stance was something that baffled him.

A group of four people broke through the tree line, stopping a respectable distance away.

Deep inside, in the bottom of her heart, Sakura knew that the man wearing a black, sleeveless, high-collared shirt was her old love. She realized—with surprise—that she had let everything go during her months in Suna. She had overcome her heartache with a new love, through the understanding and companionship that her husband worked hard to provide her.

Sakura had felt him leave the bed during the night before they departed. Feigning sleep, she had seen through half-closed eyes how he had paced back and forth soundlessly, apparently deep in thought. But nowadays she knew better, for her comprehension of her husband's ways was clearer with every passing day.

He was worried about the outcome of this meeting.

Gaara hadn't had to say anything, and yet, she knew. She knew it in the way that he had made love to her that night. He had always been a generous lover, coaxing her body to reach its release several times before his own climax. But that night he had turned the tables literally, letting her take control for the first time, as if offering her his most vulnerable side.

Sakura closed her eyes, reveling in the memory for a moment as the visitors stood motionless, assessing the people that they had come to see. When she opened her eyes, she looked back at Uchiha Sasuke without regrets.

"Kakashi, Naruto..." the raven-haired man started, "Sakura."

"State your purpose, Uchiha," the Copy Ninja drawled in a businesslike tone. "You sent a message for us to meet you. You have been humored. Now it's time for you to speak."

"Uchiha Itachi is dead," Sasuke said tonelessly. "I have fulfilled all my goals but one," he added, his eyes swiveling to Sakura. "I have come to offer an alliance with Konoha, under certain conditions."

Sakura blinked in surprise when she felt the sudden killing intent emanating from her husband, and then the meaning of Sasuke's words hit her mind with the force of a thousand bricks.

Her aura rose threateningly, even more so than Gaara's. She was **Pissed Off**.

But Naruto blocked her way with his arm when she started to move. "You have some guts to come here, Sasuke," he said calmly. This behavior made Sakura look up to her brother. His eyes were pained, but clear as a sapphire glass.

"Konoha does not make alliances with traitors," Sai said in a serious tone.

"Quiet, Sai," Kakashi reprimanded, his attention never leaving his former student's form. "What kind of alliance do you want with Konoha? You forsook your home village years ago. What makes you think Konoha is interested in your return?"

"I never said I wanted to return, actually," Sasuke said with that well-known smirk of his that made Sakura see red. "I merely want to restore my clan now. As you can see," he said as he pointed at the red-haired female that stood next to him, who was covering her stomach protectively, "I can offer my offspring in order to return the bloodline back to where it belongs. I'm positive that the Hokage won't refuse some new Sharingan users, since the one they have now is nearing retirement."

Shikamaru spoke. "Such display of goodwill would probably appease the Hokage," he conceded, "but what about your children? If you're not allowed to return, how can you send them to the village without a parent?"

"That is one of my conditions," the Uchiha answered. "Karin will need to be allowed to look after the child. She's willing to don the Leaf colors if needed, in exchange of a safe haven for her and our offspring."

Sakura didn't believe what she was hearing. It was utterly outrageous. But Temari had advised her to keep quiet until she was asked to say something, merely because she wasn't a Konoha ninja now.

_She was the Kazehime of Sunagakure no Sato_.

"The negotiation will be agreeable, foreseeing the compliance of the Hokage," Sasuke went on. "However, my other condition is that Haruno Sakura agrees to leave with me."

She took a deep breath as she felt the eyes of everyone settling on her.

Then, she spoke.

"No."

The Uchiha seemed disconcerted, but kept looking at her. "I thought that this was what you wanted."

Sakura lowered her head and remained quiet for a moment, her frame shaking. Only after a while did the observers realize she was laughing. Her giggle broke the tense silence as she threw her head back and externalized her sarcastic mirth.

"Oh, this was the best joke I've ever heard," she said, breathing deeply to regain her composure. "I think this one topped Kankurou's story about the gigantic desert worm."

Temari couldn't help herself and let out a snicker, but Gaara wasn't amused.

_Much_.

Then, the pink-haired kunoichi's face sobered. "What makes you think I would accept such nonsense?" she asked bluntly, raising her hand, where her golden wedding band glinted with the bonfire's light. "It seems you overlooked something, Sasuke-_kun_."

The woman next to the Uchiha bristled at Sakura's sneer, but he shot her a look that kept her quiet. "So you got married," he stated tonelessly. "It's obvious to me that your promise and your so-called feelings were nothing but a lie."

"Think whatever you want, Sasuke," she answered easily, realizing how selfish he had been towards her. "I am devoted to my husband now. The condition you wished is void due to my legal and emotional bond to my spouse...and I _won't_ betray that trust."

The silver-haired guy next to Sasuke grinned sarcastically, but didn't say anything. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in displeasure.

"I wonder who was blind or desperate enough to marry _you_," he said with a sneer.

Everything happened so fast that the missing-nin hadn't had any chance. A massive wave of sand entrapped him, leaving only his head uncovered. In front of Sakura stood Gaara, eyes intently fixed in the Uchiha, arm raised and hand poised, ready to close in a tight fist.

Naruto gasped at the same time as Sakura. "Gaara!"

"I used to think I was to fight only for myself, but now I have someone that I must protect," he said coldly, black-rimmed eyes intent on his prey. "You will refrain from speaking in that manner to my wife," he sneered harshly, and it was like watching him taunt his opponents back when they were young. "She is not a Konoha ninja now. Her loyalties are to me. I have no interest in whatever deal you present to my allies in Konoha, but _you will not have what it is mine by right_."

Sasuke was speechless. He was pretty much trapped in the Sand Coffin, and no amount of force would set him free. Gaara had learned his lesson from their last encounter, fortifying his technique in the manner he did to confront Kimimaro: pressurizing his malleable weapon with chakra until his opponent was as good as "nicely packed up."

His hand was lax, yet he could clench it at any moment and everything would end.

"Gaara," Sakura whispered behind him. "There's no need. You know this. Don't stain your hands with his blood...please, Gaara. For me."

If someone felt that Sakura was being way too brusque with her way of speaking about Sasuke, nobody said so.

"I will let him go, Uzumaki," he said after a long moment in which no one spoke. "Merely because of the bond he has with you and Sakura. I do not care what you do with him, but know that if he tries to insult or disrespect my Kazehime, there won't be an Uchiha patriarch anymore."

As the sand fell and returned to Gaara's gourd, the girl next to Sasuke went to him, checking for injuries. Then, she screeched at the group in front of them.

"What the hell is your problem? Sasuke-kun is being magnanimous with you people!"

"Magnanimous?" Sakura repeated, walking around her husband and grabbing a clip of his vest casually, reattaching it. "Do you really think it's magnanimous of the father of your future child to demand for another woman to go with him while he leaves you at the mercy of a village you know nothing of?"

Sasuke's eyes found Naruto's, and the blond nodded, to his inward surprise. "She's right, teme. That was a bad maneuver. You got reckless and more arrogant with the years."

"We're gonna have to leave, Sasuke," the silver-haired guy finally spoke. His voice was holding a great deal of badly concealed mirth, as if what had happened just now was something really entertaining for him. "If we engage in battle now, there's no telling what could happen to Karin and the kid."

The Uchiha nodded. "Naruto. Tell the Hokage that she will be hearing from me soon."

"If you go against Konoha," Gaara remarked offhandedly, "you will go against Suna as well. Bear that in mind, Uchiha."

"I don't respond well to threats, you monster."

"And I don't respond well to displays of insolence towards my husband, you asshole," Sakura snapped. "Take your leave and take care of that baby, if you have some remnants of a heart."

As the four nin walked away, Sakura looked at Gaara.

He looked back wordlessly as he fought to control himself. It wouldn't do for him to slaughter that Uchiha now...for he had won this match.

And he would be prepared to face the next head on.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:**And this one is way too long, hehe. Before you maul me with flames about how OOC Sakura was for her to virtually turn her back to Sasuke, and how OOC Gaara was to actually restrain himself from killing Sasuke on the spot, think again about how much he had changed from that psychopathic killer and the title he holds now. He's not going to risk his friendship with Naruto –something he treasures greatly, even more than his relationship with his own siblings– by murdering his best friend in front of him. As for Sakura, I guess that living with Gaara for so long must have had some reactions and expressions rubbed off of him, haha. XD

Really, think about it. :P

Lastly, I'd like to give a warm welcome and many thanks to MelissaRose85, who was all kinds of awesome to step up for the beta position. Thanks to all who offered, though! You made my week.

And to the rest of you, thanks for reading!


	10. Theme 10

**Walking Together**

**Theme 10: Smut**

-

Both ninja walked back to their country in perfect, composed silence.

However, Sakura was still pissed off, and her heavy steps suggested her bad mood.

"Quit the stomping, it is not becoming of you."

Gaara's toneless voice made her stop in her tracks and look at his back. "What?!"

"You are putting us both in danger of being ambushed with your loud manner of traveling," he said. "You need to behave like a mature kunoichi right now."

Since Temari had gone to Konoha with Team Kakashi in order to deliver a few scrolls to the Hokage, they were completely alone. Which didn't help Sakura, because the recent episode rendered her patience thin and she was about to explode...

On second thought, forget that. She was going to explode now.

"What the hell, Gaara?!" she shouted. "I'm not behaving like a kunoichi? Why don't you let me tell you how many levels of wrong are in that sentence?!"

"You are nothing but a weak, spoilt brat at the moment," Gaara answered starkly. "The Wind's Kazehime is a strong female that is not going to be moved by some fool's demands."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "If you feel I'm not doing a good job hiding my feelings, you might as well say so! What is the matter with you?! How can you say I'm weak?!"

"Your emotions are going to get the best of you," he remarked, narrowing his own eyes. "And your stomping is broadcasting our position for possible enemies."

"If I'm bothering you so much, then it would be best if I had gone to Konoha in the first place! Why the hell did you insist in me returning with you?!"

"Because," he snapped, glaring at his wife. "Your loyalties are to _me_, not to the Leaf anymore."

"I'm not an object you can fling around when you want to!" she shouted. "I'm my own person!"

"Then behave like it and stop moping for that foolish Uchiha! You are disrespecting me with your childish ways!"

"I'm not moping, you heartless jerk! I'm pissed because of his selfishness! I'm sick of being treated like a damn pawn in others' games! I hate to be demeaned by men like the only thing I can do is open my legs and be a baby factory!"

"And yet you act like the guy offended you by impregnating another woman," he sneered, his face twisting in a taunt. Sakura swung her fist to the nearest tree trunk, eyes burning with rage.

"What the fuck, Gaara?!" she snarled. "I don't care if he gets a dozen women knocked up! I'm offended because he thought I could be one of them!"

"Then why the hell are you acting as if you lost your lover?" he asked, his level of annoyance reaching dangerous proportions.

"Because I never thought he only saw me as a piece of meat!" she yelled, "and because I never thought my husband would say I'm not good enough for him after I decided to give him my heart!"

Sakura gasped, covering her mouth. She had spilled the beans in the worst way possible, and...she felt both affronted by his words and disappointed in herself.

Turning around, she clenched her fists, biting her lip in order to get a hold of herself, missing how Gaara's eyes had widened in surprise. But as he opened his mouth to say something, she spoke.

"Please return to Suna; I...I will catch up later."

Her voice was filled with so much hurt that he didn't have to see her face to see her tears struggling to fall. He let her go, trying to control his anger and frustration.

It didn't work.

Luckily, no one was around to see the Kazekage obliterating a large piece of the landscape to quell his fury.

-X-

Sakura sniffled, letting her tears fall without even wiping them away.

She had fled from Gaara's side, something she hadn't had any intention of doing...but some self-preservation defense mechanism activated in her when he started to confront the feelings she wasn't ready to address just yet.

He had been right, somehow. After almost a year of marriage (and a few months of blissful, exhilarating awakening of the real meaning of having an active sex life), Sakura felt cheated...because she was nearing that stage in her life where she wanted to give her man the utmost proof of her devotion.

Children.

She always loved them, so sweet and cute. They were her favorite patients, especially those who hugged the Kazehime—after she healed them for whatever mischief they were up to—in grateful happiness, not minding how strong she was or what position she held in the village.

She had asked Temari a while ago if it was wise of the Suna leaders to have a few heirs...and the look of surprise didn't hide the fright in the wind user's eyes, much to Sakura's shock. It turned out that her sister in law had the notion that Gaara hadn't completely overcome the abuse he had endured as a child. Temari thought that confronting him with the idea of being a father wouldn't be...advisable, at all.

This had crushed Sakura's dreams of having a family. She could have dealt with an inexperienced Gaara as a father, even with a clueless one; but the idea of him snapping, or even worse, feeling threatened by their child, was material for the worst nightmares.

She had hid her disappointment well as she went about her duties, but when Gaara fell asleep in her arms, warm and satisfied, she couldn't help but feel that someone up there really didn't like her.

First, her childhood love left her after knocking her out on a stone bench to fulfill a path of blood and vengeance. She could have dealt with that, especially since Naruto had been as hell-bent as she had to bring their friend back. But Sasuke didn't want to return, and facing him in the past had only fueled her feminist side's desire to let everything go and be Sakura the kunoichi, not Sakura, "the one who still waited for a foolish dream."

She had been wary and pretty much terrified of the proposal that came from Suna. But it held a possibility that she hadn't considered: a change of scenario, a way to rise to a position of respect...and the fact that Gaara was as stoic as a damn monolith helped. He wasn't going to demand for her to get flat on her back for him. She had been surprised when Temari and Kankurou told her that the redheaded Kazekage was as nervous as she was...and they started to know each other, to realize the true people that lay behind their fame and masks...

And the night that he had made her his for the first time, which marked the beginning of something wonderful, a thrilling feeling began to grow inside her chest. He had stiffened when he entered her and felt the thin barrier, his surprise evident in his eyes. She had smiled, and said something along the lines of how could she be worthy of him if she had been touched by another man?

In truth, she had been waiting for Sasuke, but when Gaara signed that scroll it was obvious that he was going to be her mate in every way possible. And he had fulfilled that secret desire of hers, filling her senses with so much pleasure that she could only see jade eyes and red hair, blatantly replacing the Uchiha in her heart with his thoughtful ways, his moody temper, that incredible trust he had placed in her...and the amazing, patient man that drove her body to climax every single time and without fail.

Sakura felt connected with Gaara in more ways than one, and having him displaying such distrust and...jealousy? Nah, it couldn't be.

She had taken off her sandal-boots and rolled her pants up, soaking her feet in the warm water of the isolated oasis that was located in the middle of the sandy wilderness. Wryly, she realized that in her distraught escape, she had come to the oasis unconsciously, evidence that her knowledge of the desert had increased greatly since she had moved to Suna...

Being completely honest with herself, she admitted that Gaara's words had hurt her much more than Sasuke's rejection in the past...

Feeling more vulnerable and useless than ever, the Kazehime closed her eyes in silent despair.

-X-

Meanwhile, Gaara wasn't a happy camper either.

His words had flown from his mouth unthinkingly, clearly showing the lack of control he had over his insecurities. He was a strong man for many things, but whether the topic was emotions or feelings, he could only listen to Sakura and her little explanations of how everything was supposed to work. Like how she had handled her grief when Ebizo died. Or how she had exploded in righteous anger when Naruto performed that perverted Oiroke technique of his. Or when she blushed whenever he was in her vicinity, after they started their intimate dynamics, signaling how strong her desire for him was.

He made a mistake. He had won Sakura's favor in the latest encounter with the Uchiha, but somehow his insecurity of not knowing if he was the only one in her heart brought his jealousy out to play. And with it, his past ruthless behavior when confronting an enemy—jeering, mocking, and taunting.

What he hadn't expected was for her to tell him he was the one that offended her...and the way her true feelings had slipped out of her mouth took him by surprise, also.

Leaping over the desert dunes, he could only do one thing about the whole matter. He needed to tell her that she had his heart in her hands too...or she might consider the Uchiha's proposal.

His blood boiled. He would _slaughter_ that man if he dared to approach his wife. Only picturing her smiling the way she did for him, toward another man, made him see red. Not to mention...

His feet stopped in their tracks when he remembered her words to said Uchiha: she wasn't going to betray that special trust Gaara had placed in her. That she had an emotional bond with _him_. This, coupled with the fact that he had been _her first_, cleared his view to the big picture.

She truly had given herself to him, completely and utterly. Her skills were _his_ and were dedicated to _his people_. She chose to uproot her life in Konoha to live at his side. Her body had been untouched until she decided to give that last piece of innocence to him.

If Gaara had been another person, he might have wanted to kick himself. All the proof was there; whether she had liked him or not at the beginning of their marriage, she had come to him, gave him the chance to know the real Sakura, earned his people's consideration and respect...had formed a true friendship with his siblings, and the most important thing: _she looked at him without fear or disgust_.

And she had given her heart to _him_.

Gaara's legs started moving again, this time with determination and a purpose.

-X-

He found her in the oasis. Thankfully, she was the only one there. The sun was lowering its position, and the sunset was rapidly approaching.

Something in the back of his mind fretted over the recklessly open stance she had, carelessly and absently sitting at the edge of the pooled water, not minding the danger of a possible attack.

Gaara gritted his teeth against the mental image of her being assailed in her distress.

But then he had neared her noiselessly, hearing her muttered curses at herself and her badly repressed sobs.

Unfastening his gourd and dropping it to the ground, he walked up to her side and kneeled, weaving his arms around her shivering frame. She gasped in surprise, tensing at the suddenness of the act.

Determined jade met hurt emerald, and he knew that she needed more than an embrace. Especially when she looked to the side, trying to covertly wipe her tears away.

"I...I thought you...you were on your way back home," she said offhandedly, frowning when she couldn't reach her face with her hands. His embrace was tight and restraining.

Hearing the word 'home' from her lips was enough for Gaara to cement his decision of never letting her go.

His head lowered and his lips brushed her cheek, swiping the moisture tracks. Her tears tasted salty but sweet. It wasn't the first time she had cried for him, but every single time she did he felt something knotting in his chest. This is what it felt to be the recipient of her devotion...and it was almost overwhelming.

"Gaara..." she whispered, tensing further in his arms. She was expecting another volley of hurtful words.

"You are mine, Sakura," he dragged his lips from her cheek to her ear. "Everything you had to give is _mine_. You gave it to me. And I gave something of mine to you as well."

She gasped again, doing nothing but listen to his husky, possessive whispers. Butterflies were dancing in her stomach; the need to press herself closer to him was irresistible.

"Your tears are mine," he murmured, tasting the skin of her neck. "Your entire body is _mine_."

She shuddered. This particular side of Gaara was one she had seldom seen, mostly appearing when it involved other people. There was an occasion when she had put on her old outfit for training, attracting many male stares to her uncovered legs. He had cornered her in a secluded part of the training grounds and, with a smirk that promised nothing but trouble, proceeded to make her forget everything but his name.

"Say my name, Sakura," he commanded huskily as his hands went to her shoulders, freeing her arms but tugging at the white trench coat she wore.

And she did, of course. She whispered it over his lips as he finally took over her mouth, kissing her hard and passionately, letting all his insecurities dissolve with the way she seemed to want to merge with him. Without disengaging, she clambered from her sitting position and kneeled in front of her husband, fingers going to his vest's clasps.

Once removed, she pushed the stiff material off his shoulders, while the red-haired Kazekage maneuvered his sand to build a raised platform and her coat spread over it.

Their hands were everywhere; she bucked her hips when his fingers circled the apex of her thighs. He grunted when hers explored the front side of his pants. He discarded his maroon coat and his shirt, listening closely to Sakura's sigh of relief at the sight of his skin.

Her tongue delved over his chest, little teeth marking him here and there. He grunted again, subjecting himself to her ministrations. He knew how comfortable she was with his body, even if she still had a bit of a problem with her own. But he strove relentlessly to make her forget that self-consciousness, caressing every inch of her skin meticulously, appreciating every nuance and crevice of her –to his masculine opinion– very luscious and desirable body.

He had no qualms about groaning out loud when her mouth found him, encasing him in warmth he had already experienced and found utterly delicious. Especially when she swirled her tongue over his tip...it was—absolutely—mind numbing.

Sakura's body flushed with pleasure when he groaned her name. She had found out that Gaara was very clear in his desires or what he thought of her ministrations, and this time wasn't different. But suddenly, her arms were restrained at her back by tendrils of sand, and his hands grasped her hips eagerly.

"So beautiful," he growled as he forced her legs to wrap around his waist. "So pliant..." he continued, boring his gaze into hers as he straightened and went to lay her on her coat. "Tell me how much you need me, Sakura."

She gasped when he unbuckled and lowered his pants. "Oh...Gaara, please...I need..."

His shaft's tip slipped over her wetness, centering on that bundle of nerves that always made her lose her shyness.

"Say it, my hime," he growled in her ear. She moaned loudly, arching her chest towards him.

"Oh! Gaara, please, I need you," she panted, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I need you so much...I'm losing my mind!"

"So delicious and so dedicated," he whispered, finally aiming his manhood to her core. "And everything that is you is all mine..."

Sakura almost sobbed with pleasure when he slid inside. The strain of the whole journey, combined with the mission and their intense argument only made this reconciliation more heated, sweeter, more frenzied. "Gaara, oh..."

He enjoyed it greatly whenever she called his name in the throes of release, but seeing that they were alone...he intended for her to scream it to the heavens and beyond. He irrationally wanted to brand his name on her heart, to let people know that she was his and no one else's. She was his Kazehime, his wife.

Thrusting inside her powerfully and nudging all the right places with every movement of his hips, she not only screamed his name, she _wailed_ it. Their couplings were always passionate, but this was the first time he had allowed himself to truly lose his tightly reined control. Her inner persona had disappeared with the years, he knew, making Sakura a more assertive person...but also most intense in the demonstration of her feelings.

"You love me?" he asked in her ear, watching how her flushed face nodded.

"Y-Yes! I love you, Gaara..."

Their joint climax was uncontrollable. She had broken the skin of his back with her raking nails when she clenched around him in a powerful orgasm, and yet he didn't mind it in the least. He had released his feelings with his peak, making himself vulnerable as he poured every feeling into her.

Now, his decision was as good as set in stone: she was never going to get away from him. And he was never going to let her go.

-X-

Sakura looked up to the darkening skies after a while. The cold drafts were making themselves known, making their nude bodies shiver. But they were so close that she almost didn't feel them, Gaara's warm arms enclosing her against his chest.

She wasn't ashamed of what they had done. She had felt the connection with Gaara during their heated bout of sex more acutely than ever, mostly because he kept murmuring such demands from her. He had made her scream her love for him out loud, and yet she couldn't find the strength to feel bad or embarrassed about it.

Especially when his lips had never left her skin after their lovemaking, tracing her lips, her cheeks, every bit of her he could reach. This little display of affection in the aftermath from him was not unusual, but the careful, gentle caresses he was dispensing on her body left her a bit baffled.

"I promised to protect you," he said after a long silence. "And I really want to."

His simple words tugged at her heartstrings, making her remember how much he had put aside for her. And these words were also as close to an apology as she would ever get.

"Yes," she whispered. "But how are you going to protect me from _you_?"

His hand cupped her cheek, gently forcing her to turn to look at him. "I can't...guarantee that," he finally murmured, staring at her clear, but still wary, eyes. "But I can promise I will try not to hurt you. I'm still...new, at this kind of relationship."

Listening to him, to the way he phrased his hesitations and the informal way he spoke his pledge, she knew that she had finally broke the last barrier between them. He always was painstakingly formal, even after they started to warm up to each other. But this last argument seemed to be the decisive one for them.

"I'm afraid, too, Gaara," she whispered, looking at him and remembering how he had hurt after his uncle's betrayal. "But I can promise...not to bring you any heartache."

His gaze sharpened, understanding instantly what she meant. "Heartache can be cured with love, yes?"

"Yes," she smiled softly, tracing the tattoo upon his forehead carefully with her fingertips. "Love."

Kissing the crimson kanji, she knew that she was as good as stuck with him for as long as she lived. And somehow, her heart fluttered at the idea.

As for Gaara, the contentment that spread inwardly was more than enough to him.

The last knot had been tied up, and now he was..._complete_.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Another long shot, hehe. Gaara's temper is somehow hard to portray to me, haha. But now are really together! Even if he hadn't told her he loved her, Sakura is smart enough to understand that he had showed it instead of saying it. 8D

Once again, many and very heartfelt thanks to MelissaRose85 for her awesome beta!

Thanks for reading!


	11. Theme 11

**Walking Together**

**Theme 11: Role Models Don't Approve**

-

The villagers of Sunagakure no Sato were the happiest of the villagers of the Hidden Villages in the whole Shinobi World. They didn't know what had happened exactly, but the relationship between their stoic leader and his beautiful, pink-haired Kazehime was truly a sight to behold.

His fangirls had abandoned their crushes on him after a lot of people saw them strolling down at the bazaar. Apparently, Sakura had seen some sort of trinket and he had paid for it wordlessly...but if that wasn't enough, he had nodded with a soft smirk when she had thanked him with a dazzling smile.

They were such a lovely couple, even when Gaara's ever unsmiling face contrasted greatly with her always cheerful features. But those whom had interacted with them had seen how seamlessly they had fused to each other's lives, sharing their routines and interacting with so much comprehension of one another that somehow it felt as if they had been married forever.

However, if someone thought that the Kazekage had mellowed under the influence of his lovely wife, that perception had been promptly discarded when they found out about a missing ninja that had dared to speak ill about Sakura. Not really because he had acted to wash her honor with the enemy's blood...but because of her retaliation. She had been the one that had brought a world of pain on the nin, breaking all of his bones – twice – to demonstrate she was still the renowned, violent kunoichi that had defeated an Akatsuki member.

After that, there were no more rumors of them being mellow, because Gaara's temper tantrums were still public knowledge, adding to the fact that Sakura had taken it upon herself to leave him to vent as much as he wanted, sometimes sharing his outrage at the elders' most appalling demands. Nowadays, they ruled Sunagakure with such harmony with each other that the citizens could only celebrate the wave of prosperousness they had brought to them.

Word of the legendary couple's antics reached Konoha thanks to Kankurou and Temari—of course—leaving her former comrades and still dear friends stunned and mouths agape. The most vocal about their incredulousness were Lee—_of course—_and Naruto, who had also remarked that they most surely had Suna under a dictatorial regime.

Kankurou only stopped punching the blond nin when his sister informed him that the Hokage was ready to receive him and that she was going to have dinner with Shikamaru and that he was on his own.

That was why the Konoha villagers could do nothing but stare blatantly at the couple that walked down the streets of the Hidden Leaf. The visiting Kaze couple was oblivious to their prying eyes, as the beautifully gold-tanned Haruno Sakura—now Sabaku no Sakura—pointed out a few landmarks of interest to her husband. The library she favored so much during her apprenticeship with the Hokage, the academy where she and the rest of the Konoha ninja went, the rebuilt stadium where he fought the final match against an estranged Uchiha, the ramen stand that their most treasured common friend loved to pig out, the monument to the memory of those that had fallen in action...he had looked at everything with his usual emotionless eyes, but those that knew him had noticed a slight glint of curiosity in his jade gaze, as he was listening closely to what his wife was saying to him.

It seemed that Gaara and Sakura, after a year of marriage, were very content with each other.

"Ah, how little has changed around here since I moved," she sighed with a smile. "It's refreshing to see that some things are still there...what?"

"I think it would be good to build a memorial for the fallen Sand shinobi," he said thoughtfully. "Do you think the Hokage would approve of us borrowing the idea?"

"I think it's doable, I don't think she'll oppose the idea," she nodded in agreement, smiling. "That's why I wanted to show it to you. It's a beautiful way to honor those who have fought for the good of the villages."

"You seem awfully cheerful," he observed dryly. "Are you high on the pollen of the flowers we saw at the memorial grounds?"

"Pfft, how rude," she chided, only to let out a giggle. "I'm just happy to be here with you, Gaara. It's been a long while since I came to visit...and don't tell me you aren't happy too!"

"...I'm not disgusted," he conceded tonelessly. "However, we need to rendezvous with your shishou in an hour."

"I think we can go to the cemetery to leave some flowers for my parents and then go to the Hokage's, what do you think?"

Smiling at his nod of acceptance, they walked to Ino's shop, stunning the passersby with the astounding fact that their hands were linked together...somewhat, because she strolled with her hand grabbing his sleeve. And what was even more surprising: he didn't seem to mind.

The first one watching their interaction up close, of course, had been the blonde kunoichi, now a bit overweighed with her developing pregnancy. She had spoken about her parents briefly, but the Akimichi's wife had seen how he had requested some details about them, as if trying to keep her talking. She had been so bewildered that Sakura had laughed at her gaping face before leaving, white lilies in hand, with her redheaded husband walking arrogantly behind her.

Others had seen them in their way to the Hokage's. Sakura had seemed a bit wistful, but she smiled nonetheless when Gaara had raised the sleeved arm she was holding, extricate her fingers from her hold on his clothes and surrounded her warm hand with his own, afterwards pulling her firmly to Tsunade's office. They had stared, stunned, when they heard her teasing him, calling him a grumpy workaholic, but they _gawked_ when they picked up his dry answer, saying something about black pots and kettles.

However, Tsunade and Shizune were somewhat unsurprised with this interaction between the Kazekage and the Kazehime, because Temari and Kankurou had deemed it wise to let them know about it in advance. Whether or not the dark-haired medic-nin was delighted to see Sakura so content with her spouse, Tsunade...

Well, let's say that the blonde Sannin wasn't so convinced.

"So Kiba is marrying Hyuuga Hanabi-chan?" Sakura asked Shizune, clearly delighted. "Whoa, that's wonderful! When is the wedding?"

"It's two days from now, and they want to ask the both of you to attend, if you're not too busy, of course."

Gaara nodded curtly to his wife as he lifted his eyes from a scroll he was reading momentarily, and she beamed at him. "We'll be honored to assist! I'll have to buy a present for them...and we'd have to use the formal regalia, Gaara."

Since both of them were wearing the white and blue colors of Wind Country, Tsunade thought wryly that they wouldn't have any problem with that.

"The terms of this contract suit out interests greatly, Hokage-dono," he said tonelessly, but the Sannin watched how he proffered the scroll wordlessly to his wife, who took it and began her reading. "We will sign it as part of the measures we will be taking to ensure the convoys of products we will be trading from now on."

"Only," Sakura added, "if you don't mind us shortening the demands of sesame seeds, ginger, turmeric and potatoes, this year's harvests were a little under the usual."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her former apprentice. That sly minx had seen the increase of the produce she had drawn into the contract. She only could nod, knowing that she had been caught red-handed, so to speak.

"So, now that we've finished—Gaara?" the pink-haired Kazehime called to her husband, who had stood up and was making his way to the door. He turned his head and looked at her.

"I will look for Naruto."

She nodded, smiling. "I'll find you later at Ichiraku then."

Leaving the females alone, Gaara's lips curved in a little, wicked smirk as he closed the door behind him.

-X-

"So you're happy."

"Pretty much, yes," Sakura said, shaking her head negative at a kimono the seamstress had spread out to her. She was still in the Hokage's office, where the seamstress had been called to at the blonde's request—it wouldn't be appropriate for Sakura to go window shopping at the moment, and besides, Tsunade direly needed to wrench out a few answers from her. "It looks lovely, but I'm in need of a _homongi_ with white and maroon colors, if that's possible...something that doesn't clash with my hair so much."

"Are you really, really happy, Sakura?"

Emerald eyes found amber, and a sleek pink eyebrow rose. "...Yes, shishou, I am. Believe it or not, Gaara is a wonderful man, and Suna has really accepted me as their Kazehime. I still have trouble with the formal addressing, but I guess it really can't be helped."

"You've been married for a year now," Tsunade began carefully, standing from her desk and walking to the office's windows. "I thought the Suna elders would have pressed you two to pop out some heirs by now."

Sakura laughed. "Yes, they have been a pain in the rear, but we told them categorically that we weren't going to have children until he's _at least_ twenty-five. It's ridiculous; he's been the Kazekage for almost eight years and they still see him as a teenager."

"I heard from Naruto and Kakashi what happened with Sasuke," Tsunade said, looking over her shoulder at her surrogate daughter. "Gaara got really territorial with you?"

"Well...yes," she nodded at both her teacher's question and the new kimono she was shown. "Oh, thank you, this one is perfect! Yeah, well, I think it was bound to be, since Sasuke's demands were beyond outrageous," she continued, now looking at the blonde. "I'm sure he wasn't going to _really_ kill Sasuke, but the suddenness of his move took everyone by surprise, even the guys that were with that fool Uchiha."

"You speak like him," the elder medic said with a mild frown. The pink-haired kunoichi let out a huff and laughed.

"I've got a nice story for you: he actually muttered 'shannaro' when he gained the upper hand at some debate with the council. If I hadn't been there, I wouldn't believe it."

Tsunade joined her apprentice's mirth with a forced smile, accompanied by Shizune, who had seen off the seamstress. "We've been missing you around here, Sakura," the dark-haired woman said. "I'm glad you and your husband could come."

The Hokage huffed. "Whatever."

"...Tsunade-shishou, why are you upset?" Sakura asked, looking quite concerned. "Did Gaara do something to offend you? Did I do something? You've been frowning since we entered the office."

Shizune looked at her Hokage, but said nothing. The Sannin sighed.

"I was almost hoping that you came here asking for me to get you divorced," she said bluntly. "I know that I'm being irrational, but...the thought of you in Suna, so far from home, it's just...stupid."

"That's not exactly what she feels," a stern Shizune added, frowning at the blonde. Tsunade sighed and scowled something fierce, crossing her arms.

"This is not your business!" she snapped, but for once, Sakura saw her surrogate sister with her hands on her hips, glaring right back at their master.

"It is my business because I've missed her as much as you do!" she said sharply. "Now tell her why are you sulking or I will!"

Sakura's eyebrows rose, almost reaching her hairline, which was devoid of any hitai-ate. "What? What's wrong?"

After a while of silence, Shizune said, "She's mad because she didn't think you were going to fall in love with Gaara-sama. She was expecting for your marriage to fail and for you to return here, to us."

"...What?" Sakura blinked. "Are you serious? You agreed for me to move to Suna! Why the change of heart now?"

"Bah, he doesn't deserve you," Tsunade grumbled, eyebrows bunched in a mighty glower. "He's too damn wild for you. Even if he's Kazekage, he's a savage man."

Sakura didn't hide the roll of her eyes. "What would have been a good man for me then, shishou? Lee, with his exuberant public displays of affection? Sai, with his stupid reversed nicknames? Or maybe Naruto with his cluelessness?"

"None of them are good enough for my daughter and apprentice," the blonde Sannin said with a pout. "If I could have gotten away with it, I would have married you off to Kakashi."

Sakura snorted and laughed. "Right, with my former _sensei_," she replied with a sarcastic smile. "So the Copy Ninja—who was my teacher, by the way—is better for me than the Godaime Kazekage? And pray tell, shishou, why is that?"

Tsunade observed that she didn't blush or sputter at the outrageous idea. She just sat there serenely, with a sarcastic smile dancing on her lips. A slanted yellow brow rose.

"Because he's _here_, that's why."

Sakura was baffled, to say the least. "If you're so upset with my marriage, then why did you allow me to leave? Why was I the one chosen to be Gaara's bride if you were so against it?"

The Hokage sighed deeply. "Because the other kunoichi that met the demands of the Suna council, flat-out refused the proposal," she said grimly. "It was the first time I've seen her so determined, even in front of her father's disapproving face."

Everything was clear then. "Aaah," Sakura said with a little smile. "Hinata."

"Yeah. I have to admit that her refusal was a sight to behold. The only other choice was you. Ino...she's damn cute, but Gaara would have killed her for being so..._her_. And Tenten is seeing Kankurou already, so meh. And the fact that the blasted old geezer Ebizo was so hell-bent on picking you didn't help."

"Ebizo-jii was always very kind to me," Sakura said with a fond, sad smile. "I understand now why you are so sulky, shishou...I took off and you can't live vicariously through me anymore."

"Disrespectful brat," Tsunade muttered, but then Sakura smiled sweetly, such a brilliant smile that the other medic-nin stared.

"I meant it when I said that Gaara is a wonderful man, Tsunade-shishou...he's not as wild and savage as you might think; he's a grump, but he actually is very attuned to me. His face might be stoic like a damn statue, but his heart is...incredible. Honestly."

"So you really love him," Tsunade mused, looking intently to her pink-haired daughter, blinking in surprise when she nodded, her smile widening.

"With everything I have to give," she murmured. "Gaara is the best thing that happened to me, shishou, Shizu-nee...really. I know that you guys miss me, and believe me, I miss you too...but I can't leave him. He's part of me, as much as I am part of him."

"I know," Tsunade sighed. "Just...tell him that if he hurts you I'll personally kill him."

The pink-haired Kazehime stood, her tanned features alive with mirth, walking fluidly around the desk and gathering the Hokage in a warm, heartfelt hug. Tsunade let out an exasperated laugh and allowed herself to be glomped.

"I think he knows," Sakura laughed. "I love you, shishou. Thank you."

"Bah," the Hokage huffed. "Go back to your husband. See you at the damn wedding."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Baka," she muttered when she felt her former student's tears on her shoulder. "Go, play dress up with the Kazekage. Just let me know when he gets frisky so I can punch him into oblivion."

"And risk an international incident? No way!" Sakura laughed, sniffling, wiping her face hastily and beaming at her shishou with a mischievous glint in her brilliant emerald eyes. "I've worked too damn hard on those contracts; I'm not going to let you pummel my hubby because he wants to behave like a lecher...besides," she added as she gathered the clothes' bags and walked to the door, "I was the one that taught him to be like that, so...I think it's alright."

And with a saucy wink, she ran out of the office laughing merrily, leaving behind a pair of powerful kunoichi that blushed and cackled to the point of tears.

-X-

That night, as the Kaze spouses strolled back to the VIP compound where they had their lodgings, she remembered her conversation with her shishou.

"By the way," Sakura narrowed her eyes at Gaara, who stilled immediately. "You knew that my shishou was going to throw a fit when you left the office, didn't you?"

Thin male lips curved slightly in dark amusement. "I figured it was something related to you. A girl thing, as you and Temari like to say."

"And you ran out for dear life."

"I wasn't going to putter around while she chewed you out for whatever thing you did."

"How brave of you, oh mighty Kazekage-sama."

"It's wise of me to pick my battles carefully, my esteemed Hime."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** ROFL, Tsunade and her mother hen complex is hilarious. And the banter between Gaara and Sakura had me grinning like a lunatic.

Once more, many thanks to the wonderful MelissaRose85 for her awesome beta work!

Thanks for reading!


	12. Theme 12

**Walking Together**

**Theme 12: Dealing with a Pet**

-

"What the _hell_ is that?"

Naruto pouted. "Maa, Sakura-chan, you're going to hurt his feelings!" he exclaimed, uncovering the large cage that he had just placed on the table. Gaara and Sakura shared a glance, and stepped near to get a better look at the animal that was inside.

A rather proud-looking eagle was glaring at the three humans in turn, letting out a shriek of warning.

Sakura blinked while Gaara stared at the bird. "An eagle," she said incredulously. "That was the gift you had for him?" she asked, pointing at her husband with her thumb. Gaara frowned at his Kazehime. "You want that bird to get sand-buried if it attempts to peck him?"

"Aw come on, Sakura-chan! Don't be like that!"

"I tend to tolerate all kind of animals, not like some other people that screech their throat raw because they saw a spider."

Sakura glared at her redheaded Kazekage. "I happen to know that those kinds of spiders are damn poisonous! What would have happened if it bit you? Or even worse, what if it bit _me_? Who'd save your ass the next time you play rampaging raccoon on some nukenin?"

Naruto shot a frightened look at a very calm, placid-looking Gaara, who slowly lifted his jade gaze at his wife. "I would not allow that to happen."

Rant done and annoyance deflated, the Kazehime flopped down onto the sofa. "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

Gaara smirked, much to the blond nin's utter surprise.

"Oi, oi, back to Ramen, please?" he called out. Two pairs of verdant eyes stared at him with different levels of perplexity.

"What on earth are you talking about, Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"There is no ramen here," Gaara pointed out.

Poor Naruto didn't know what was more awkward: watching their interaction, watching them banter shamelessly, or watching them finishing each other's sentences.

"Hey! I'm talking about the eagle! His name is Ramen."

On second thought, Naruto decided inwardly, the most awkward thing was when they stared at each other wordlessly, and yet seemed to communicate with one another.

Sakura burst out laughing, and Gaara didn't look as sourpuss as usual.

"You named the eagle _Ramen_? What the hell possessed you to do something like that to the poor bird?"

"Maybe he intended to cook it if we decided to decline his present," the Kazekage deadpanned, a wicked smirk appearing once more on his features. "Then again, it is quite obvious that Uzumaki here is quite well nourished, so I would venture that the eagle would be just a fit of gluttony for him."

"OI! Are you calling me fat?!" Naruto yelled, much to the couple's amusement. Sakura kept laughing her head off, while Gaara deftly took the bird's cage from the dining table and brought it to the coffee table in front of his wife, taking a seat next to her afterwards. "You-you...you Kaze-bastard!"

"Now, now, Naruto, remember what will happen if you insult my dear hubby," Sakura warned half-heartedly, wiping a mirthful tear from her eye. "We'll have to take the eagle, Gaara; otherwise it will end up in Ichiraku's pot."

"I agree," he said as his wife leaned over to the cage and examined the large bird with practiced eyes.

"It looks like the hawks we use to send correspondence to the other countries," she mused softly. "Aren't you the sharpest-looking birdie ever?" she asked to the winged animal, which tilted its head to a side and screeched softly. "You look quite beautiful, you know. Those golden eyes of yours are stunning."

The eagle fluffed its neck and screeched again, making Sakura laugh softly.

"I know, I know. I agree with you, that cage is so not your style, but I'm afraid you'll have to bear it for a while longer, Ramen-kun. We'll also think of another name for you, such magnificent bird like you shouldn't be named after an unhealthy noodle soup."

A lock of Sakura's bubblegum hair fell onto the cage, calling the bird's attention. It stared for a long while, then opened its beak and carefully, tasted the tresses with its tiny tongue. She allowed it to do so, smiling, while the other humans stared at her.

The eagle shrieked again, tilting its head once more to Sakura and moving its wings.

"Okay, birdie," she said, opening the cage and leaning back onto the sofa. "You earned it. Let's see if you like your new owner."

Much to Naruto's astonishment, the eagle climbed skillfully onto the top of the cage and stared at Gaara for a long moment, and then it screeched and bowed its head at him.

"How did you do that?" he asked, mouth hanging open.

"It is easy enough," Gaara said tonelessly. "I just stared back at him and did not look down. That way he understands I am as much of a prideful being as he is."

"No kidding," Sakura teased, while he ignored her and extended his hand to inspect the lock of hair that had been examined by the eagle.

"At least I could send you guys some letters and stuff," Naruto said. "That would be awesome, right?"

"I think it's a quite nice gesture, Naruto," Sakura smiled, while Gaara nodded.

"It will serve as a medium of communication between us and Konoha," he deadpanned. "I will accept your present with my utmost gratitude."

Naruto snickered at the Kazekage's expressionless words, but he nodded nonetheless. He knew that Gaara was a stoic person, and these kinds of occasions were a bit trying for the redhead.

However, when Sakura yawned, he got the opportunity to witness a part of Sabaku no Gaara he didn't think existed.

The eagle was calm on its perch on the cage, following the pink-haired woman as she stretched her hands over her head.

"I think it's bedtime for me," she said with her eyes half-lidded. "This Hyuuga-Inuzuka wedding got me exhausted. Good night, Naruto. Behave, birdie bird," she added, as she leaned into her husband and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Don't take too long, hmm?"

"Alright," Gaara answered impassively, not even blinking when accepting her affectionate motion. "Rest well."

She nodded with a smile and, waving to Naruto, she retreated to the chambers the Kaze couple shared. The blond ninja only could stare, while Gaara looked over the bird once more and slowly extended a hand to it. Ramen jumped over his sleeved hand, and the redheaded Kazekage walked to the window and set it on the windowsill.

"Is this one trained to be a messenger?" he asked to a still speechless Kyuubi-vessel, who quickly shook his head clear and answered.

"Yeah, Kiba's sister assured me he understood human commands."

"Very well," Gaara answered with a nod, looking again at the eagle. "You will remain in the tree until I call you."

The eagle screeched, taking off to the nearest branch and settling within the leaves of the tree for the night. The Kazekage seemed satisfied of his prowess with the animal, but Naruto had his mind somewhere else.

"Can I ask you something?"

Gaara nodded firmly. Naruto seemed hesitant, but squared his shoulders and spoke.

"Your bond with Sakura-chan..." he began. "I know you guys have been married for a year now, and you seem pretty comfy with each other and all that, but...I wonder--"

"Sakura is your friend," Gaara interrupted him easily. "I would not do anything to hurt her. Not because she is your friend, but because she is my wife."

"I wasn't talking about the legal bond," Naruto said with a frown. "I'm talking about—"

"Naruto," the redheaded man looked at the blond one, who stilled at the calling of his name. It was one of the very few times Gaara had called him by his name, so he was sure what the Suna nin was going to say was very important.

"I vowed to protect her," he said simply. "I am going to do everything in my power to keep this bond as it is right now. I am going to protect her from everything."

"My question, Gaara, still stands: do you love her?"

"I cherish her. She is one of my precious people now," the Kazekage replied without missing a beat. "I treasure every word and every act she bestows upon me."

A long while of silence followed, while the blond man stared keenly at the redheaded one. Then, Naruto smiled.

"I'm counting on you, Gaara. Make her happy; she deserves it."

Gaara's lips curved slightly.

"You have my word, my friend."

Of course, Naruto couldn't do anything but believe him.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** I'm sure a few of you guys remember Ramen, the eagle. XD

Thanks to MelissaRose85 for her wonderful beta!


	13. Theme 13

**Walking Together**

**Theme 13: Christmas, Snow**

-

Gaara had to look up when he heard his wife sighing for the nth time.

"Sakura, I can't help you if you don't tell me what is wrong," he murmured. Said woman sighed again and turned to watch him instead of looking out the balcony.

This was another of those rare days off Gaara took. They were alone in the apartment, since Temari and Kankurou had told them to stay put while they went around the village to get their food for the festivities.

After a lazy morning, in which Gaara had taken it upon himself to show his wife why he regarded himself as superior, they had trudged to the living room, where he immersed himself in the reading of some reports while Sakura contented herself with looking out at the village.

Imagining what her friends in Konoha might be doing, she realized that it was wintertime in Fire Country. Looking to the calendar that was hanging near the kitchen counter, she noticed that the Christmas festival was due in three days.

Which meant, today was Winter Solstice. Who would have thought that Suna wouldn't have winter a season? Perfectly understandable, though.

"Sakura," Gaara called once more, dispelling her reverie. His tone was as flat as usual, but only someone that lived with him knew that he was actually showing a bit of concern in his voice.

The Kazehime smiled softly and went to sit next to her husband. The issue of physical interaction wasn't so much of a problem anymore; Gaara had broken down that barrier when he allowed her to get near him the first time, and it all went downhill afterwards. That was why Sakura was so comfortable sitting so close to him.

"You know what today is, Gaara?" she asked, feeling a bit frisky with her darling man. "It's Winter Solstice tonight. I was remembering that, in Konoha, it snows this time of the year..."

"And what do you do with it? The temperature drops down, so it can't be pleasant," he remarked, tossing the scroll on the table and lying down completely on the sofa. Hint taken, Sakura imitated him, lying on the sofa as well...but on him. Crossing her arms on his chest, she shrugged.

"I usually don't like the cold; it's too humid and uncomfortable, especially in the outfit I used to wear," she agreed with a smile. "But Christmastime in Konoha kind of made up for it. Last year, Naruto, Sai, and I organized a massive prank on the rest of our friends."

Gaara blinked twice and smirked. "A prank? I thought you didn't like those kinds of ludicrous games."

"Bite me, hubby," she shot back, and shrieked with laughter when he heeded her taunt and bit her softly on her chin. "Well, the prank was a revenge on Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taichou, but somehow it fell on the rest of our friends. Team Gai, Team Asuma, and Team Kurenai got the brunt of it...Naruto actually had to flee for his life since Neji and Kiba weren't so happy with what happened with Hinata and all."

'What happened?' his eyes seemed to ask silently, that glint of curiosity lit in the jade eyes of the Kazekage. He seemed to enjoy her stories, as if he was trying to imagine how it would feel being part of the narrations.

"Well, since Naruto's toads can do some Suiton techniques, we set up a trap in the middle of the night, freezing our asses off to build a dome and stick some exploding tags on it. When morning came, we saw how the ice almost impaled poor Hinata, because Sai-baka forgot to get rid of the stalactites in the dome. It was a good thing that she knows Jyuuken, and Naruto's quick thinking...he used the Rasengan on the ice, setting off the tags...next thing we knew, both of them were buried under it."

The redheaded man snorted. "How ridiculous," he said. "But I guess he had it coming."

"Everything that happens to Naruto is because he had it coming, and that's a universal truth," Sakura said with a laugh. "In the end, it was Yamato-taichou who used his mokuton and freed them."

"Let me guess, the Hyuuga fainted in Naruto's arms."

She snickered. "Nope, actually...they were kind of kissing when Yamato-taichou's branches lifted the ice. Hinata _did_ faint afterwards when she noticed everyone staring, and Naruto jumped like a scalded cat, but he didn't really _explain_ to anyone what had happened there."

"You never knew?" he asked, his smirk taking an evil undertone. "He told me at our wedding reception about how he had asked her out when they were trapped in an ice cave, but I didn't realize it was something he had done himself."

"Ah! That damn fox!" Sakura laughed, the big picture about her blond brother's scheme finally revealed in her head. "Who would have thought he could pull off something like that?"

"I imagine he actually planned the whole thing out, if he had finally noticed the Hyuuga's feelings for him."

"So you noticed as well?"

It was kind of amusing to Sakura to see the great and mighty Godaime Kazekage rolling his eyes in mock exasperation.

"I'd have to be blind not to notice," he said, and she felt his chuckle under her hands. "Besides, it wasn't the only thing I noticed, back then."

The predatory glint in Gaara's eyes made her shiver. He felt it, for his hands were tracing random patterns in her back. The silence that followed was charged with their kiss, full of barely restrained passion from both parties involved. He was an amazing kisser; his mouth could do funny things to her insides when he chose to let his tongue come out to play with hers. He had been a very attentive student, when they started their intimacy.

Now he had pretty much mastered everything, much to Sakura's feminine delight.

A sharp tug on her hair separated them, both feeling the warmth of the exhilarating feeling. She tried to kiss him again, but the hand in her hair clenched, keeping her in place.

"Temari and Kankurou could be here in a minute," he growled when she arched a bit, pressing her abdomen to his. Gaara's hand went to her hip and then lower, squeezing her behind as he ground his hips up to hers. She moaned softly, a faint flush coloring her features.

"We should go to our room—mmm…" she trailed off as she snuck a hand to his hair and pulled him to her, kissing him feverishly. He rumbled deep in his chest, grabbing both her lower cheeks and sitting up. Sakura took the opportunity to press herself closer to him, eliciting a husky groan from her redheaded husband.

When the Suna siblings entered the apartment, the first thing they noticed was both Gaara's and Sakura's trench coats lying on the floor next to the sofa. Temari rolled her eyes and picked them up, hanging them on the stand next to the door with a huff.

"You'd say that Sakura would be more organized," she grumbled, and Kankurou snickered. "She's picking up the wrong things from Gaara. Will you look at that," she added, pointing at the low table in front of the sofa, filled with scrolls and folders.

"I think we should leave them for a little while," advised the Puppet Master. "I can hear something else."

It was the first time Kankurou saw his older sister blushing up to the roots of her hair.

"Damn it," she said with annoyance. "We really need to move out."

"At least they're not loud," the brunette man said, nodding sagely. "Otherwise it would be much worse."

"Shut up, Kankurou, just shut up."

Sakura was done laughing behind her hand when they heard the door closing once more. "That was mean, Gaara!" she chided softly. "They live here too; we can't kick them out whenever we want to be alone!"

"Damn right we can," he growled as he discarded the last of her clothing. "I'm the Kazekage, I do whatever I please."

"And—mmm...what would please you now?" she taunted, wrapping her legs around his hips. Gaara's smirk positively reached wicked proportions, and she inwardly braced herself for the following events.

"What do you think I want?" he asked in a low, husky murmur. "I want to hear you screaming my name. Is that agreeable?"

He got a loud moan as an answer.

-X-

A flustered Sakura laughed at both her in-laws when they returned a few hours later. Gaara was back in his spot at the sofa, resuming his perusal of the reports he had brought home to pass up the time. However, he had realized that having a sexy wife at home tended to make him forget about the work he had brought with, so he had decided to leave everything at the office, much to Sakura's amusement.

"Welcome back, Temari, Kankurou," she greeted with an impish smirk. "Took you long enough to get everything for dinner."

Kankurou had to laugh at Temari's scowl. "Little sister, you're in for hell next time we spar," she threatened half-heartedly. "Shut up, Kankurou. Let's just forget about this and make dinner."

"Aw, Temari, don't be such a sourpuss, it's Christmas Eve!" Sakura skipped to her giddily. "You brought the chocolate? I'll teach you how to make the cookies I told you about. Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and Naruto simply adore them!"

"You don't say..." was the part-skeptical, part-confused answer from the Wind Mistress as both women got inside the kitchen, leaving the Suna brothers alone.

"You're a damn pervert," Kankurou raised his brow to his otouto. "But I gotta admit that you are the luckiest man in the whole damn world."

Gaara smirked arrogantly, unfazed by his brother's petulant insults. "I know."

-X-

Suna's main public figures dined together without much fuss. Temari had relented after she tried one of the cookies Sakura had made, and Kankurou got scolded by the Kazehime when he tried to steal more than one. Gaara observed their interaction as closely as usual, feeling very pleased with himself. This was _his family_, and Sakura had adapted so perfectly to her position and to her new environment that he had to admit to himself what he already knew.

Sabaku no Sakura was made of the same steel fiber he was.

And he was more than satisfied with the outcome of the events.

However, seeing her looking so wistful before their time alone had been somewhat unsettling for him. She hadn't expressed her wish to visit Konoha for the solstice festival, actually asking about the festivities the Suna people held for said celebration. He knew she had organized a gift exchange with her staff at the hospital, and was also playing the lovely hostess for a few Daimyo visiting the village.

He couldn't say she wasn't getting involved with his culture because she was doing so well with her new life that...he felt he needed to give her something in return for her dedication.

-X-

A new pair of boots from Temari and a custom-made set of senbon from Kankurou, and Sakura had to admit that this Christmas was actually quite enjoyable. Gaara wasn't much into the festivities, but he had agreed to accompany her to some of the social functions she had hosted for the noble guests they had. Since Suna had no winter season, the missions' demand always rose during this particular time of the year.

Still, he had done everything he could to partake in those events she had organized.

To say that Sakura was pretty much elated was an understatement, especially when it was his turn to give her the gift. He merely stood and strode towards the door, retrieving both their trench coats. Figuring he wanted to give her the gift in private, she just winked at her siblings-in-law and followed him out.

Maybe it was a ride in his _Sabaku Fuyuu_? She'd always wanted to experience floating in the air...

Walking down the street and to the village's gates, the Kazehime couldn't contain her curiosity. "Gaara, where are we going?"

"Outside," he answered promptly. "There's something I want to show you."

After a while of walking, they finally made it to the ravine that flanked the entrance of Sunagakure no Sato. It was well into the evening, the temperature outside the rocky shield that protected the village from the freezing desert winds was lowering swiftly.

"Gaara?"

"Button your coat up; when the moon is out the desert is rather chilly," he instructed.

Climbing through the desert dunes wasn't something Sakura thought she would be doing on Christmas Eve, but she followed him nonetheless, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to not heed his recommendation.

Not too far from the rock mass, Gaara took her hand. He was as warm as usual, but something in his hold made her look up after they finished climbing a particularly tall dune...and Gaara stopped his advance.

Then, the moon was finally out and Sakura was surprised.

The infinitely large sea of sand practically glowed under the moonlight. It was so incredible and such a magnificently natural display that the pink-haired woman could only gape in amazed wonder.

"...Wow..." she breathed. The desert was silent as ever, the sand under their sandals still warm after a day under the merciless rays of the sun. But in that very moment, just when the moon started its way across the celestial vault where the stars twinkled and there wasn't even a cloud in the sky, Gaara watched closely how Sakura's face lit up in utter, absolute happiness. "This is...oh, Kami-sama, this is...beautiful..."

To say that the little boy deep inside the Kazekage was drowning in elated bliss was an understatement.

"Once a month," he said softly, as if not wanting to break the moment, "the moon reaches a stage before it is full, where everything under its rays seems to turn white."

True to the Suna Leader's words, the vast dunes before them displayed a natural white glow, so endearing that his Kazehime was rendered speechless. If she hadn't known that she was actually standing in front of a vast desert, she would have thought that she was in the middle of a snowy plain. It was a magnificent display of Mother Nature's gifts to humankind, and they were there to attest to such majesty.

"I was expecting you to ask me for permission to go to Konoha for the festivities," he murmured, slipping his arm around her waist. It was cold, and he had to ensure his wife's wellbeing, after all. "But you didn't say anything—"

"I wanted to spend Christmas with you, Gaara," she turned to look at him, her luminous eyes still wide with awe. "I would have missed you if I had gone to Konoha."

He smirked. "Missed me? How so?"

She laughed and wrapped her hands around her husband's waist, as he drew her to him to share body heat. "You _know_ how already."

Their kiss was loving and gentle, something Gaara didn't know he could feel. Sakura felt so tangible in his arms, so alive, so near to him that he actually felt lightheaded. He cracked his eyes open for a moment, watching how hers were closed, relaxed, and very trusting of him.

_She had given herself completely to him_.

The feeling that flared inside him was so very new that he almost lost his focus in her kiss. So overwhelming and yet, so incredibly tender. It wasn't the need to protect her with everything he had, and it wasn't that rabid desire he had for her luscious body and her sweet, passionate moans. It came from deep within, something so indescribable that he could actually perceive the feeling as a substantial aura around them.

"I love you, Gaara," she chose to whisper in that very moment. "This is the best gift I've ever received. Thank you."

He let out a huffed chuckle. "Let us go back. The temperature will keep dropping."

"You know I would die for you, right?" she murmured suddenly, looking up to him. "This kind of love, Gaara, is the love you feel until the very end. I would do everything for you."

"...Then I want you to keep yourself safe at all times," he said after a long moment. "Our pledge to one another shall remain firm until we both perish."

Sakura smiled softly and let out a laugh when he moved his hand and made the sand under them create the sandy carpet he used to float above ground.

Watching her clinging to him as the clump of sand transported them back to the village, Sabaku no Gaara decided that this particular feeling of happiness, of wholeness was so endearing that he might actually call it...

Well, he already bore the name of the feeling on his forehead.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** I'm sure you guys are drowning in fluff. Want a lifesaver or a straw? :P

Once more, I'd like to thank MelissaRose85 for her wonderful beta work. 8D

Thanks for reading, guys!


	14. Theme 14

**Walking Together**

**Theme 14: Uncomfortable Situations**

-

When Gaara was told of a sudden blackout his wife had in the middle of a routine procedure at the hospital, the cold tremor than ran down his back was of the most unpleasant kind.

_Sakura_, he thought with an anxious undertone. What could have happened?

It was almost a month and a half after the Christmas festivities, in which they found it curiously exhilarating to be alone in strange locations. His office and her office were properly utilized in their intimate escapades, much to Sakura's mild-amusement and embarrassment and his smug satisfaction. Other locations were the training grounds, and the oasis that was located in the middle of the desert in Fire Country's general direction. Their room was a given, although sometimes they just liked to go to the roof of the apartment building and look at the moon that illuminated their slumbering home.

However, lately she had been feeling a little...off, to say the least. She had tried to shrug it off as a bout of passing flu, but watching her so pale and clammy after a fit of vomiting first thing in the morning was kind of worrying for the Kazekage.

He wasn't the leader of his village for nothing. He had a theory about this, and seeing that she had never shied from his touch, he figured it was bound to happen someday.

Strangely enough, Sabaku no Gaara did not mind in the least this particular outcome of events.

His assistant only opened his office's doors to grant him easy access to the hallway and the street, receiving a nod in response. He didn't reach the street though. With an easy teleporting technique, he found himself in front of the nurse's station in the Suna Hospital. The Head Nurse looked up and, after almost jumping out of her bones in surprise, led him through the white hallways to a closed door.

"She's sleeping right now," the old matron said. "She could have told us she wasn't in the proper condition to perform healings today."

Gaara nodded curtly. "I will talk to her. Please return to your duties..." he trailed off as he opened the door and saw her lying on the bed, pink hair spread on the pillow and as pale as a sheet, "thank you for taking care of her."

The woman merely smiled. "She's as much as our leader as you are, Kazekage-sama. We'll protect her health with everything we have."

Alone in the room with a Sakura that really didn't look healthy for his tastes, he realized that the shiver he felt before was _fear_. Her wellbeing was at stake...and he didn't know what to do to make everything right.

Thankfully, another nurse entered after a while and checked her vitals, reassuring him about her current state. "She's just drained, Gaara-sama. She will need a lot of rest now and her chakra control won't be as good as always...but I'm sure she'll tell you when she wakes up."

That was why he sent a message to his assistant, telling him he was going to spend the rest of his day watching over his wife, paperwork be damned.

She'd better have a good reason to have kept her condition from him, he concluded with a frown that was more worried than upset.

-X-

She woke up when the sun started its decline on the horizon.

Still groggy and dazed by sleep, she just smiled faintly at the redheaded man that was sitting in the bed next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, hoping for an answer now. She stretched and moved her neck with a wince.

"When did our bed get so uncomfortable?" she mumbled. "My neck hurts..."

"What about your dizziness?" he pressed, slipping a hand to the back of her neck and massaging her stiffness away. "You fainted during an examination."

Gaara's eyes narrowed when she stiffened under his touch and her eyes widened.

"I'm probably tired," she said, trying to mask her sudden discomfiture with a nonchalant nod. "I'm sure I'll feel better after a good night's sleep."

"_Sakura_."

If she thought she could be nonchalant in front of the person that actually coined that term, she was sorely mistaken.

It was better to come clean with him, since he had always appreciated honesty between them.

"...I think I'm pregnant, Gaara," she said, closing her eyes.

Her sad countenance tugged more at his heartstrings than the confirmation of his theory. A long, tense silence followed, in which the redheaded Kazekage came to terms with the outcome of events.

He was going to be a _father_. And the idea was more terrifying than facing the entire Akatsuki organization alone.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked softly, slipping his hand from her neck. "You don't want it?"

"Wha--of course I want it!" she shouted, lowering her head in shame afterwards. "I thought it was you..."

"Who told you that?" he queried. "I'm not going to reject it."

"But Temari told me that you--"

"Sakura," Gaara sighed, exasperated. "You are mine, and I'm not going to change that fact anytime soon. Everything you do, or that happens to you, is _my_ business."

"This is not about me, Gaara," she whispered. "It's about the life growing inside me. Temari told me...that this is not the appropriate time for you--"

"I'm not going to repeat myself," he cut her off firmly. "If you want to have the child, then I want it too. I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to do."

"...Are you sure?" Sakura asked, a little light appearing in her verdant depths of her eyes. "Aren't you afraid of...being a father?"

"_I have you_," he answered simply. "I trust you'll teach me what to do."

The Kazehime sniffled and laughed, proof enough of her emotional condition, and the Suna Leader could do nothing but gather her in his arms. She was strong as much as she was kind, so he figured she could have this lapse of weakness right now.

"How far along are you?" he whispered in her ear, getting a huffed laugh in response.

"Almost two months," she murmured to his neck. "I think we conceived it the night of the Solstice...remember?"

Of course he remembered. It had been a passionate night, in which both of them had expressed their dedication for each other in varied manners. He concluded that there couldn't be a better result of that particular night.

-X-

They sat there for a while, as Sakura recovered from her bout of tears and explained the changes she was going to undergo during her pregnancy to him. Her chakra control had been pretty much nullified, but she figured she could keep giving her medical theoretical lessons. She warned him about sudden mood changes and cravings, much to his inner amusement.

He was about to point out that she wouldn't change much then when a brisk knock on the door broke their private, humorous moment.

"Kazekage-sama, Kazehime-sama," Gaara's personal assistant poked his head inside the room and bowed. From his spot on his wife's bed, serving as a cushion for her back, the red-haired man waved, wordlessly giving permission to his aide to speak. "There is a man at the gates. He requests an audience with both of you. He is alone, but for some reason he doesn't want to set foot inside the village until he sees you."

Both leaders looked at each other questioningly.

"We'll be there in a moment," Sakura said.

"You shouldn't—" Gaara started, but the glare she sent his way was enough to silence the mighty, fearless Kazekage.

"Let's get this over with," she sighed, having the foreboding certainty that her husband was going to be more overbearing than usual in the months to come. "Then we'll go home."

-X-

It took them a while to walk to the gates, since Gaara took it upon himself to literally glare at the people to give a wide berth to his wife, much to her obvious exasperation. She couldn't berate him in public though, but it was somewhat frustrating to see a former sociopath with anger management issues turned into the most protective person that ever walked on earth.

Especially since he plucked her hand from his sleeve in the middle of the street, clasping it firmly in his and led her through the bustling bazaar with a sure, safe step, sometimes radiating a threatening aura when people wasn't fast enough to step aside. Villagers and nin watched them walk by, settling their eyes on the seemingly unruffled Kazekage and the scowling Kazehime, and wondering what had happened—or what had she done—to deserve such public manhandling.

Reaching the gates, the conceited look that the redheaded man had in his jade eyes was so blatant that she could only huff in mid-annoyance. What an overbearing ass.

"You'll sleep on the couch tonight," she threatened, getting a wry snort as response.

"Who would keep you warm?" Gaara whispered in her ear, eliciting a blush in his wife's lovely features. "Don't tell me you forgot how cold the nights have been lately."

"Aw, shut up," she grumbled, crossing her arms as his hand pressed the small of her back and led the way towards the hallway, made by the rocky mass that served as a shield for Suna.

Outside, a man was being guarded by Temari and Kankurou, as well as at least a dozen other ninja. Two pairs of green eyes stared at the unexpected visitor, and then met to exchange another questioning glance between each other.

"State your purpose," Gaara finally said with a cold tone, stepping in front of Sakura in a protective manner that no one missed.

Uchiha Sasuke lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"Can't I pay a visit to one of my former teammates?" he asked, and this was enough to trigger killing intent from the three Suna siblings. "Calm down, Kazekage-sama," he continued with a sneer. "I'm unarmed."

"No ninja is ever unprotected," Kankurou remarked harshly.

"We've seen what you're capable of," Temari sneered back. "I wouldn't say you're completely unarmed."

"Be that as it may, I'm not looking for trouble with you three," Sasuke said in a bored tone. "I just want to talk to your Kazehime. In private."

"I hold no secrets from my family," she finally said from behind Gaara, figuring that her redheaded husband wouldn't be pleased if she stepped out of his guarding stance. "State your business and we might consider not shipping you to our ally in chains."

Sasuke's smirk became more pronounced. "So it seems that holding a position of political power suits you well, Sakura. I wonder what they offered you to accept such...an _unusual_ proposal."

The sand around the dark-haired man's feet shifted, and everyone's eyes widened.

"I told you before, Uchiha," Gaara said in a frigid tone. "Badmouth my wife once more and I will _make you pay_."

"What do you think they offered me?" Sakura asked in a flat voice, as if she wasn't behind a man that was about to commit murder on her behalf. "Respect and understanding, friendship and loyalty. I'm sure those concepts are a mystery to you, Sasuke."

"Not quite," he rebuked easily. "I want to know if your decision to stay with..._him_," he smirked haughtily, lifting his chin towards the Kazekage, "is final. That's all."

Sakura snorted. "You want to know if it's final?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips in honest irritation. "Let me see: Suna has shown me how grateful they were when I saved my brother-in-law's life from certain death. The entire village praised me when they knew about my involvement in the battle and defeat of the first Akatsuki member. People were elated, to say the least, when they got the announcement that I was going to come here and join their Kazekage in marriage."

Sasuke lifted a brow, but Sakura wasn't done.

"And I'm sure they will be celebrating with us when they find out I'm going to give a child to my beloved husband."

A lot of things happened at the same time. Temari and Kankurou flitted to the Kaze couple's side, the Wind Mistress giving Sakura a tight embrace. The Puppet Master, not to be outdone by his sister, gave his otouto a jovial look and said something that sounded like 'I knew you were the luckiest man in the whole damn world!' as the rest of the ninja gathered around Sasuke moved as one, flowing from a surrounding position around the stunned Uchiha to compose a solid wall between him and the rest of the Suna Leaders.

A smiling Kazehime, now in the embrace of her tattooed brother-in-law, completed her statement. "As you can see, my decision is pretty much _final_, as you said. Oh..."

"Sakura-sama!" the cry of the Suna ninja had been enough for Gaara. Looking over his shoulder, he saw his wife pale, eyes unfocused, with her hand over her mouth.

"I'm alright, I just...felt dizzy for a moment," she reassured the group a little later. "I think I'm going to be an annoying burden for a while, guys."

"Like hell if you're going to be a burden," Kankurou said firmly. "I promise we'll take care of you. I'll even allow you to break my hands when you're in labor!"

"I'm pretty sure that will happen," Sakura laughed weakly, while her sister-in-law let out a haughty laugh.

"As if the Steel Blossom isn't a force to be reckoned with already," she sniffed. "You have to let me spoil you, Sakura."

"You'd better spoil the baby instead!" the Kazehime laughed, stepping out of her sibling's embrace to walk to her husband and place her arms around his waist.

Gaara didn't acknowledge the gesture, but his eyes narrowed dangerously at the unwanted visitor.

"You got your answer," he deadpanned. "Get out of my country."

There was a certain determined glint in the Kazekage's eyes that quickly told the Uchiha that his life might as well be hanging from a thread if he chose to pursue his outrageous ambition. The body language between Gaara and Sakura had been clear enough: she was his to protect, she was home—_his _home, and he would obliterate anyone and anything that dared to step between them.

It was also crystal clear to the Uchiha's failing eyes that even the most violent monster could be tamed with a proper dose of care and feelings.

"Very well," he said at last. "Sakura, tell Naruto...nothing. I will go see him when I see fit."

"Whatever floats your boat, Sasuke."

"I should say congratulations, but then I would be a hypocrite."

"Then don't say it," Sakura said, looking at him over Gaara's shoulder. "Be honest with yourself for once and leave in peace. I would hate to have to write Naruto about your death at the hands of my husband."

"Hn," was all the last Uchiha said, turning his back to the Suna people and walking away towards the desert. "Be well, Sakura."

"You as well, Sasuke."

Orders were quickly placed, as the Kazekage straightened and looked behind at his wife's eyes. They were clear, a bit wistful, and a bit angry but overall...calm.

"Let's go home," he whispered to her. She gave him a glowing smile.

"We _are_ home."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN: **And she's finally preggers! 8D I'm sure you'll want to maul me for making Sasuke so OOC, as to present in a potentially hostile location with no weapons. Well, like Kankurou and Temari said, no ninja is ever unarmed. You guys can chew on that while I'm dancing in glee at Sakura's pretty growing belly. XD

Gaara is not a fool man. I'm sure he had thought of the possible outcomes of his intimacy with Sakura. I feel that after a year or so of marriage, he might come to terms with the next step they needed to make.

In the end, Temari was right, but Sakura's presence – and love – had triggered Gaara's masculine desire to breed. It's in every man's DNA, I tell you. He just needed a little time.

Thanks MelissaRose85 for her wonderful beta work and you guys for reading! (And jst for the record, the next one is the last one. :P)


	15. Theme 15

**Walking Together**

**Theme 15: Supporting the Other**

-

Sakura's pregnancy had been the most cherished, guarded, and monitored of all history of the whole Sunagakure no Sato.

She had suspected, of course, when Matsuri and Temari started visiting the classroom at the hospital at random times. Kankurou invariably came around to pick her up at the end of the day, and when he couldn't come, it was Gaara himself that appeared and almost had to carry her away from her desk. It was most bothersome, the way they babied her.

However, she really couldn't complain. She had been pretty much treated like an expecting mother by her people at the hospital, thankfully, but the rest of the citizens, her family, and her hubby had a severe case of overprotective-ness that had her at her wit's end.

Tsunade hadn't been of much help, from what she could gather from the latest letter from the Hokage. A new threat that appointed her husband at the receiving end of an iron fist belonging to the Slug Princess if he mistreated Sakura was the only thing she had written, but at the end of the week her former team, along with Shizune, had made a spectacular entrance into the Village Hidden in the Sand.

Naruto had been ecstatic with the news. It had been one of the few times Sakura could see how Gaara had looked positively alarmed, when their blond friend asked them to name the child after him. However, she hadn't been so diplomatic, smacking her brother silly and sending him sailing off the balcony of their apartment as her answer to such a stupid request.

Sai, of course, had become such a nuisance that it took Gaara's sand to restrain a righteously enraged Temari from killing the ink artist's because of his clueless potty mouth. Sakura had laughed so hard when he said that her pregnancy confirmed the Kazekage's tastes in ugly women, but Temari hadn't been so permissive with the pale man.

And regarding her former sensei and the resident pervert in her homeland, Kakashi had congratulated them warmly, but warned both Kazekage and Kazehime about the restraints they would have to bear thanks to the presence of a little one in their lives. He had said it with so much consternation that she couldn't help but laugh at Gaara's incredulous look at the Copy Ninja.

It had been quite the hilarious episode, but as Shizune finished the physical she performed on the expecting mommy and convinced herself that Sakura was as healthy as a mother bear, Team Kakashi and addendums returned to the Leaf with nothing much except for many, many promises to keep in touch through letters and to send their baby a ton of gifts.

Now, at the sixth month of her term, she was about to, quite _literally_, choke a bitch in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-sama," Baki was saying with a concerned face. "My orders are to be your bodyguard until Kankurou and Temari return from their missions."

"Oh, Baki-san! Don't pay attention to my husband! He's being overbearingly protective these days! I'm telling you, I am o-k-a-y. I know that I'm fine, my health is in top condition."

Said ninja nodded. "However, last week's episode with the Kazekage wasn't pleasant at all, Sakura-sama," Baki continued with a worried frown. "Gaara-sama's saying that the medic attending your case was at the verge of molesting you."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "He was performing a chakra sonogram! That intern is my most proficient student in chakra controlled examinations!"

"But Gaara-sama thinks that you must be protect—"

"Gaara-sama needs to be reminded of who his wife is from time to time," the Kazehime growled in annoyance, but then she changed tactics and looked up pleadingly to the obviously uncomfortable former sensei of her in-law family. "Please go away? I won't say anything."

Baki lowered his head. "Ask anything else from me, Sakura-sama, and it shall be done."

"Urgh!"

That particular discussion ended in a pouting Sakura, a sweat-dropping ANBU-ranked Baki, and massive headaches for the both of them.

-X-

"You are in _so_ much trouble, Sabaku no Gaara," was the growled murmur that ended that council meeting, along with a door that swung open with a bang that pretty much made the elders jump in their seats. Most of them had seen their Kazehime perform in battle or a sparring session, but they were always surprised of the amount of strength the seemingly petite and sweet pink-haired kunoichi wielded.

And despite how beautiful she looked with her developing belly, one must never forget that she was the Godaime Hokage's Apprentice...

Especially when she looked as pissed off as she looked now.

"Honorable elders," the redheaded man that had been threatened by his very own wife droned calmly and unperturbed by the interruption, calling once more for the attention of the venerable geezers. "We will schedule a new meeting in regards of the agenda for the summer season. This will be all."

As the old men hastened to vacate the place, a glowingly beautiful and very pregnant Sakura glared daggers, kunai, and tanto knives at her beloved but arrogant husband. What she didn't know was that Gaara's sentiments over the whole pregnancy had been very much like those of a dragon that watched over its scaled fledgling. The council had tried to have a say about their forthcoming child, only to have Gaara's temper shutting them up about the matter for good.

However, as the Godaime Kazekage watched his wife making her way towards him and Baki lingering at the door with a worried look, he wasn't at all afraid to admit to himself that a pissed off, pregnant Sabaku no Sakura was one of the most intimidating visions he had encountered in his entire life.

And he had seen quite the sights, like a humongous statue with many eyes taking his life and the sealed bijuu away.

"Give me one reason not to pack my stuff and return to Konoha _right now_," she growled, emerald eyes almost gleaming with fury. "Who do you think you are, making Baki-san shadow me like I am some sort of prisoner?!"

Gaara had no qualms in letting out an obvious sigh of weariness.

"Leave us, Baki."

The sound of a door closing softly was the only thing that broke the tense silence. Sakura was about to start her annoyed tirade when her redheaded husband stood from his chair, rounded the desk, and approached her with a firm step. She frowned at him, but he merely raised his hand and, slowly as you please, placed it over her stomach.

"Gaara--"

"Let me take care of you," he murmured softly, raising his jade eyes to hers. His gaze was soft, openly showing the emotion he felt when he looked at the product of their love. "I can't follow you around all the time, I exhaust too much chakra. Temari and Kankurou aren't returning from their assignments until next week."

"I think it's great you want to protect me and all, Gaara, but what you did with my student was out of line," she scolded him, not falling for his show of care like she had before. "I told you I was fine, and yet you almost butchered the poor guy because he was following my orders."

Gaara scowled inwardly at the memory of the male with his hands over his wife's belly. "Let a female doctor oversee your progress."

"You do realize you're jealous, right?" Sakura shot back without missing a beat. "What makes you think I'd leave the man I love and I'm bearing a child for right now? I promised you, Gaara. You are my life, along with this little one we're waiting for."

He dropped his shoulders in defeat. No matter how much he tried to resist her sincerity, he just could not. This, coupled with the fact that he couldn't pull the honesty act as well as she did, had him completely at her mercy.

Damn her and damn her open feelings.

However, it had been clear to him that she always told him the truth. She loved him with all she had, even going to the point to giving him—_him,_ the monster of Suna—a wonderful but altogether terrifying idea: an heir.

There were times that he really didn't know what he was going to do when the baby was born. Sakura always reassured him, telling him that they were going to be okay, but _sometimes_, he wasn't so sure...

But when they sat together watching the sunset, he felt the movements inside her belly and he couldn't help but feel thoroughly amazed by the miracle of life. A miracle they propitiated together.

He blinked from his reverie when he noticed her rubbing her back in obvious discomfort. "What's wrong?" he asked promptly.

"I'm just tired," she answered absently as she lowered herself to a chair. "This baby is moving so much I feel like it's doing some mortal jumps inside me."

He dragged a chair next to hers and placed his hands over her stomach, feeling their child's movements. "It has been rather active, hasn't it?"

"Yeah...although we should stop calling it an 'it.' I was informed of the baby's gender this morning."

Gaara's eyes flew to hers. "A boy?"

Sakura shook her head with a brilliant, shimmering smile. "Nope."

There had been only a couple of times when the pink-haired Kazehime had seen her husband looking so openly surprised. When he fought with a man that was so fast that his sand couldn't follow; when he realized he wasn't the only one fighting to reaffirm his existence but for entirely different reasons...and when their dear friend Naruto welcomed him back to the living world with a sincere, happy smile.

"We're having a daughter?" Gaara whispered, so softly that she almost missed the reverence in his voice. Her smile widened when she noticed how his hands had frozen over her belly.

"Hey, now," she said tenderly, slipping her hand on his face and coaxing him to look at her. "We'll be fine."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, genuinely curious. "You always say everything is going to be fine, and yet you don't tell me how you know that."

Sakura laughed, placing her other hand on his and moving them over her stomach, as they felt how their baby responded to their voices and chakra. "It's simple, love," she murmured. "I love you, and I know you love me...right?"

He nodded firmly, still bewildered at how she managed to put his feelings into words when he didn't know how to himself. She traced the kanji on his forehead and gave him another smile so beautiful that he just stared in silent awe.

"Then we both have enough love to take care of and protect this little girl, right? We are going to make sure she's the happiest girl in the whole world. Together."

Such heartfelt words, so honest and caring, he thought, fighting the sudden knot that appeared in his throat. "Yes, together."

"We have been walking together since I came here for you, Gaara. And as long as I live, I'll keep on loving and caring for you."

Gaara realized that, despite the past, the greatest gift that life could have ever given him was, to put it simply, Sakura.

He had to be grateful of this second life for that particular factor especially.

"I...I need to learn how," he murmured, tracing his fingertips on her taut skin. "I fear I...might do something wrong."

"I know, but get this, Gaara," she said with that tone she used when she promised to be with him always. "We'll try together. We'll work hard to be the parents she deserves."

He nodded. "We'll try our best."

"Yes, we will," she answered, caressing the red head that rested on her belly. "We'll try our best _together_."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** And this is finally done! Can you believe I did these themes in less than a month? My friends say that I'm quite insane. And I can't prove them wrong, really. :3

For the final theme you get an unhealthy dose of fluff and the gender of their baby. No names because I don't want to follow the cliché of naming the girl after Gaara's mother or Tsunade. I'm just going to let you put whatever name you like to the GaaSaku girl. :P

As for Gaara, I'm sure he will learn to be a wonderful father; caring, fiercely protective...I really pity the boy that ever tries to woo the Kazekage's daughter, honestly. XD

As usual, I give my heartfelt thanks to MelissaRose85 for her wonderful input as a beta, and to you guys for reading! 8D I had tons of fun writing this series. I might write a few more with other pairings, haha.


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